No refunds for NSFAF students

The Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation has resolved to do away with refunds that students whose studies are funded by the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) receive from tertiary institutions, effective immediately.The minister, Itah Kandjii-Murangi, while addressing close to 300 students who petitioned her ministry today, said this was an austerity measure and that any remaining funds after the NSFAF had paid a student’s tuition fees would go towards the financing of other students’ studies.“We cannot continue to pay for continuing students fully every year as first-year students also need to be paid for, unless continuing students want to keep all the money for themselves and put others’ education in jeopardy,” the minister stressed.The students from the University of Namibia (Unam), Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) and the International University of Management (IUM) demanded that the minister assure them that the contract between students and NSFAF, signed in 2015, stipulating the payment of 100% of tuition fees and 80% of non-tuition fees, be honoured.According to the students in their petition read by Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) vice-president Bernard Kavau, a new contract breaching these terms agreed upon by NSFAF and students in 2015 was drafted, meaning that students would now need to add a certain amount to the fixed non-tuition N$17 000 grant given to all funded students. “The N$17 000 is not enough and most of us will not be able to afford the remaining amount in order to settle our tuition and non-tuition fees, which may lead to some of us not writing examinations and getting our results,” the students said.They demanded that this contract be terminated as soon as possible and should the minister fail to advocate for this, she too should terminate her contract as minister.Kandjii-Murangi however informed the students that NSFAF had indeed fulfilled its promise to the students, adding that it had paid the students’ full tuition fees, although cases may arise in which students are required to use their own money to supplement the tuition and non-tuition fees paid by NSFAF due to the differences in fields of study.The minister urged the students to understand the current situation and help meet the government halfway, until such time the government is back on its feet.The students however vowed to continue their demonstration in front of the government office park buildings, until a new contract is drafted, or they revert to the terms of the old one.NAMPA

No refunds for NSFAF students

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-24

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No refunds for NSFAF students

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-24

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