University of Malawi (UNIMA) Students Representative Council has expressed its dissatisfaction with 9 Billion kwacha allocated to Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board, describing it as a slap in the face of all students pursuing education in public universities.

In a letter, the Council’s President, Charles Dokera Thole calls on the minister, hounorable Sosten Gwengwe to revise the budgetary allocation so that it meets their demand to have students upkeep allowances raised to K480 000 from the current K200 000 per academic year.

He has threatened to mobilize UNIMA students and those in the country’s public universities to hold demonstrations if the minister ignores their demand against what he calls continued neglect of the plight of needy but deserving students in Malawi.

On Friday, Gwengwe presented the 2022-2023 national budget pegged at K2.84 trillion with the education sector receiving the lion’s share of K462 billion.