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| Business |
| University wants K2 billion from budget |
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by
Mc Donald Chapalapata, 05 June 2003
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17:08:02
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The University of Malawi wants government to allocate K2.3 billion in the forthcoming 2003/2004 budget to effectively run its five constituent colleges, an official from the university has said.
University of Malawi Acting Senior Assistant Finance Officer Henry Chiwaya pleaded with the parliamentary committee on education, science and human resource on Thursday to lobby the House so that government allocates the university the whole amount of K2,393,195,669 in this years budget.
“Out of the our estimated budget of K2,696,445,451, the university will generate K303,249,782 on its own and that leaves us with balance of K2,393,195,669 which we hope to get as government subvention,” said Chiwaya.
He also said although people viewed last year’s K900 million allocation to the university as a big sum, the money was not enough as it was only enough for salaries, benefits and administration.
Chiwaya told the committee that student numbers of the University of Malawi have been at a standstill over the years because there has not been any increase in the levels of funding.
He said the cost of training a student for a medical degree at the College of Medicine is currently estimated at K1,351,080 per year.
Chiwaya said most times especially midway in the financial year, the university has been forced to go back to government to ask for additional funding because it gets less than it requests.
“Education is key to sustainable social economic development of the country and the University of Malawi is one of the key institutions which provide higher education. This makes it necessary to be adequately funded by government,” he said.
Committee chair Masten Khanje said they would look at the ceilings on the budget on the university and lobby so that the university gets adequate funding.
Minister of Finance Friday Jumbe is expected to present the 2003/2004 budget to parliament later this month.
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