Unam slow to act on unoffered modules
Students bemoan mismanagement
Some students paid as much as N$4 840 for modules that were not added to the timetable.
The University of Namibia (Unam) has seemingly been slow to respond to students who complained that modules that were paid for were not offered at its Summer School, which concluded on 21 January.
According to an email between an aggrieved student and the university's senior lecturer for the faculty of law, Tapiwa Warikandwa, the fault lies with management.
"Kindly direct your query to the [head of department]. As far as I know, a specific party had been identified to offer mining law during summer school.
“That it [has] not been offered is therefore not an issue that I can address, but for management to respond to," Warikandwa said.
The students said most of them applied for mining law for summer school and paid, and were able to provide Namibian Sun with relevant proof of payment.
Per the receipts, some students paid as much as N$4 840 for modules that were not added to the timetable.
This comes after Unam last week confirmed that several law students’ results had been delayed, promising to assist them “as quickly as possible”.
Lists
According to the students, results for their final examinations were only sent out on 17 January, at which point the application deadline for summer school had passed.
"Had our examination results been released on the portal on time, we would have been able to apply for summer school and attend classes like the other students who were permitted to attend summer classes.
“It is worth stating that there was a list that was shared on Moodle on 16 December 2022 by the mining law lecturer which consisted of students who should apply for summer school but still could not do so because the marks were not reflecting on the portal," one student revealed.
In addition, the list contained the student numbers of students who actually passed and therefore was not accurate, they said.
The university has admitted to the mistake, and said it will be rectified.
“I can confirm, given what has transpired, that the mining law (PML 3870) students will be afforded a recourse opportunity by the school of law.
“The school, through the student portal, will this week still communicate to the students this latest development on summer-term offerings and exam provisions,” Unam’s spokesperson Simon Namesho said.
According to an email between an aggrieved student and the university's senior lecturer for the faculty of law, Tapiwa Warikandwa, the fault lies with management.
"Kindly direct your query to the [head of department]. As far as I know, a specific party had been identified to offer mining law during summer school.
“That it [has] not been offered is therefore not an issue that I can address, but for management to respond to," Warikandwa said.
The students said most of them applied for mining law for summer school and paid, and were able to provide Namibian Sun with relevant proof of payment.
Per the receipts, some students paid as much as N$4 840 for modules that were not added to the timetable.
This comes after Unam last week confirmed that several law students’ results had been delayed, promising to assist them “as quickly as possible”.
Lists
According to the students, results for their final examinations were only sent out on 17 January, at which point the application deadline for summer school had passed.
"Had our examination results been released on the portal on time, we would have been able to apply for summer school and attend classes like the other students who were permitted to attend summer classes.
“It is worth stating that there was a list that was shared on Moodle on 16 December 2022 by the mining law lecturer which consisted of students who should apply for summer school but still could not do so because the marks were not reflecting on the portal," one student revealed.
In addition, the list contained the student numbers of students who actually passed and therefore was not accurate, they said.
The university has admitted to the mistake, and said it will be rectified.
“I can confirm, given what has transpired, that the mining law (PML 3870) students will be afforded a recourse opportunity by the school of law.
“The school, through the student portal, will this week still communicate to the students this latest development on summer-term offerings and exam provisions,” Unam’s spokesperson Simon Namesho said.
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