Nursing school closure: Owner blames ‘tribalist’ community

Kenya KamboweRunduThe owner of a nursing school says he had no choice but to close the doors to two satellite campuses in Rundu and Divundu because he could no longer tolerate the discrimination, insults and tribal attacks from community members.This while students have accused the institution of scamming them, adding that they were lured into registering with scholarships.Zekka George, the owner of Nursing Training Institute of Technology (NTIT), said he never expected that 33 years after independence, fellow Namibians would base their treatment of him on his tribe.“The tribalism, discrimination, insults and victimisation we suffered from last year to the beginning of this year from the Kavango regions... I was surprised and shocked to hear that a person can attack you in an independent Namibia. A person of the same colour can attack you because you are not a Rukavango-speaking person,” he said.“Why must we go to that level when we say ‘One Namibia, One Nation’? Right now, even if I wanted to reopen that building, it would be a waste of time.”The school’s main campus in Windhoek remains operational.In limboAbout 30 of the 80 students registered with the institution’s Rundu campus were left in limbo yesterday after a notice on social media announced that NTIT would no longer be operating in the riverside town.The Divundu campus, which closed last year, had 66 students enrolled.During a demonstration led by the National African Students Association (NASA), the students expressed their disappointment in the school no longer operating in the northern towns.They added that they were desperate to register with NTIT because they could not qualify to register with other tertiary institutions.“I was doing nothing, but a friend of mine told me about NTIT and I managed to convince my parents to give me the money so that I can register and get a qualification,” a student said.Following the campus closure, some of the students attempted to register at another nursing school in Rundu, but were told that their qualifications are not accredited.They are now demanding that NTIT refund them.NASA to blameAccording to George, all was going well prior to the involvement of NASA.He accused the association of convincing students not to pay their tuition fees, which resulted in some of them not returning to school.“If you look at the group from NASA, they are studying at the University of Namibia, paying the fees that they need to pay while some are employed already, but they are the ones telling others not to pay and attend classes. How does that benefit the students they claim to represent?”He said while they wait for the dust to settle, they will engage the students on how they can complete their studies.He added that short courses can be concluded online on distance mode, while certificate and diploma courses cannot be done on a part-time basis.‘Scam’In a statement, NASA said NTIT is a ‘scam’ which deceived students to register with promises of scholarships.It added that the institution does not provide practical training and makes use of unqualified lecturers.The association has given NTIT until Friday to engage it, or it will approach the relevant ministry or the courts.NTIT offers short ‘introduction to nursing’ courses, while it is in the process of being recognised by the Health Professions Councils of Namibia in order to offer a certificate in enrolled nursing and midwifery, according to the owner.kenya@namibiansun.com

Nursing school closure: Owner blames ‘tribalist’ community

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-19

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Nursing school closure: Owner blames ‘tribalist’ community

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-19

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