University of Malawi Students Association (UNIMASA) has called on government to increase budgetary allocation to the Loans and Grants Board.

UNIMASA president Charles Dokera Thole has said this reacting to the speech from the minister of finance Sosten Gwengwe on Friday in parliament where government has provided an addition of 12 Billion from 9 Billion kwacha fund to the board to assist the needy student in the country’s universities.

Thole said the fund is very little to be used by the loans and grants board to help the students hence they will still wait for government to address their concerns which they presented to them.

“The added allocation shows a realization of government that the funding to the loans and grants board is insufficient but it is not addressing the concerns that we presented to them,” Thole said.

He said they are not sure that the money can assist the needy students at all unless the board assures them of it.

“We want the upkeep allowance that students received to be increased to at least 450 thousand from 200 thousand a year therefore we are still looking forward to that increase from government,” Thole said.