This special session which was aimed at assisting candidates who were disadvantaged by Cyclone Freddy and could not complete the online application into public universities took place from 3rd to 6th May 2023 in the districts of Zomba, Chiradzulu, Mulanje, Thyolo, Phalombe, Chikwawa, Mwanza and Nsanje.

Briefing representatives of the six public universities before embarking on the exercise, NCHE Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ambumulire Phiri, pointed out: “Some of our prospective candidates could not attend the public university online application orientation meetings that NCHE conducted in early April because some were still in camps or for one reason or another could not access our meeting venues due to the impact of Cyclone Freddy and there was a need to meet such candidates.”

Speaking at Ng`abu Teacher Development Centre in Chikwawa, Victor Chikoti, representing MUBAS, noted that NCHE`s idea to involve all public universities in the exercise allowed prospective students to get information about different programmes direct from the source and this enabled the applicants to make informed decisions.

One of the applicants, Crisia Enock Kabu, who came in the company of her grandfather, Yesaya Antonio, was excited about being offered another chance to submit her application saying: “I could not come out of our camp to attend the first-round clinics since our camp was cut off and this opportunity is God-sent to me.” 

Antonio concurred with his granddaughter that the visit by NCHE and all public universities was an eye opener to them as it provided finer details of what was being offered in the public universities and also answered questions that kept bothering them, especially about learner support in the universities.

On learner support, Communications Manager for Higher Education Students` Loans and Grants Board (HESLAGB), Millie Kasunda encouraged students who would be selected into universities but lack financial resources to support themselves to apply for loans at HESLAGB.

Apart from providing the applicants with information on what is offered in all public universities, the World Bank-funded exercise succeeded in enabling the remaining students complete online university applications with full support from officials from NCHE, MUBAS, UNIMA, MUST, Mzuni, LUANAR, KUHeS and HESLAGB.