* She managed to pay part of the annual fees of K650,000 but doesn’t have any other means to raise the balance by Monday
* The primary school teacher has been fending for him singlehandedly as well as taking care of 3 other children’s academic needs
By Duncan Mlanjira
Third year student studying Bachelor of Education (Languages) at Mzuzu University (Mzuni) is on the verge of dropping out if her mother fails to raise K250,000 when the new semester starts on Monday, August 28.
The single mother, Ellen Mussa — who can be reached on 0884296508 or 0996107733 — has since sent an SOS to well-wishers, saying she has managed to pay part of the annual fees of K650,000 but doesn’t have any other means to raise the balance of K250,000 by Monday.
She said her son got selected to Mzuni in 2019 and has been fending for him singlehandedly as well as taking care of 3 other children’s academic needs.
Her son’s college need include tuition and examination fees, learning materials and his rental fees at the University and on top of that he needed a laptop and smartphone, which she managed to buy and also has to provide transport money to school and his upkeep.
“The tuition fee is at K650,000 due to the recent increment and previously I was paying through loans and currently my net salary is at K24,000 after loan deductions from the bank.
“I am a primary school teacher — so to care for the kids, meet his rentals at school and basic needs at his school and here at home, I find it tough.”
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She disclosed that twice she has applied for consideration for level 2 and 3 loans to the Higher Education Students Loans and Grants but to no avail.
The crestfallen mother bemoaned the attitude of others, who see in her as “a failure because I cannot manage to deal with all these needs. I am even failing to pay other demanding loans from the banks”.
The SOS was brought to our attention by well-wisher, Donasius Pathera, who said he has been supporting the young man’s academic needs for some time but he was also tight to assist at the moment.
“We are family friends and since he was selected there, I’ve engaged the lad is some of his academic needs,” he said. “He is a bright student and his mother is very proud of his achievements.
“But she is at her wits’ end as she has no other means to meet the Monday deadline and feels extremely guilty that she is failing to prevent him from dropping out of Mzuni with just a year to complete — an achievement he worked hard for,” he said.
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