Nanso denounces NSFAF’s ministry return
The student union said it would be more prudent to “fix the governance predicaments” at the NSFAF and “work towards ensuring that it becomes efficient and effective”.
ESTER KAMATI
WINDHOEK
The Namibian National Students Organisation (Nanso) has denounced the planned return of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) as a department in the higher education ministry.
The organisation’s acting national spokesperson Esther Shakela said Nanso had been part of consultations held in 2018 regarding the dissolution of the fund and made its submissions along with other stakeholders, which have not been reflected in the final decision in the matter.
Nanso has further asked for the conclusions of deliberations in the matter to be made public, calling for “accountability, transparency and clarity on what informed this decision”.
“These findings must be publicised,” it said.
“The organisation does not in any way at all support the decision to have NSFAF return to the ministry as a directorate. It would be more prudent to fix the governance predicaments at the institution and work towards ensuring that it becomes efficient and effective.”
Talks to incorporate the fund into the ministry date back to 2017, when consultations were held with stakeholders on the matter pending a Cabinet decision.
The Namibian last month reported that the fund received a formal notification of Cabinet’s decision in this regard in March.
Limkokwing University
Nanso further expressed its disapproval at establishing a Limkokwing University campus in Namibia, stating that the Malaysian institution would gnaw further into state funds.
“While there is yet to be factual details concerning the matter, Nanso would like to make it categorically clear that it does not support the set-up of this university, especially because it is supposedly going to be reliant on already scarce government funding”.
Shakela added that there are numerous institutions in the country that require government’s assistance.
“Government funding must prioritise those institutions and they should be given the necessary support in order to develop them into class institutions. Resources must be ploughed back into the economy.”
Nanso also stated that foreign institutions have a tendency of coming to Namibia and seeking government funding “and then proceed to offer courses already available in the country, which results in an influx of graduates into the labour market who have all done similar courses”.
“We find this redundant and encourage government efforts to be geared into the direction of Namibian institutions.”
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The Namibian National Students Organisation (Nanso) has denounced the planned return of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) as a department in the higher education ministry.
The organisation’s acting national spokesperson Esther Shakela said Nanso had been part of consultations held in 2018 regarding the dissolution of the fund and made its submissions along with other stakeholders, which have not been reflected in the final decision in the matter.
Nanso has further asked for the conclusions of deliberations in the matter to be made public, calling for “accountability, transparency and clarity on what informed this decision”.
“These findings must be publicised,” it said.
“The organisation does not in any way at all support the decision to have NSFAF return to the ministry as a directorate. It would be more prudent to fix the governance predicaments at the institution and work towards ensuring that it becomes efficient and effective.”
Talks to incorporate the fund into the ministry date back to 2017, when consultations were held with stakeholders on the matter pending a Cabinet decision.
The Namibian last month reported that the fund received a formal notification of Cabinet’s decision in this regard in March.
Limkokwing University
Nanso further expressed its disapproval at establishing a Limkokwing University campus in Namibia, stating that the Malaysian institution would gnaw further into state funds.
“While there is yet to be factual details concerning the matter, Nanso would like to make it categorically clear that it does not support the set-up of this university, especially because it is supposedly going to be reliant on already scarce government funding”.
Shakela added that there are numerous institutions in the country that require government’s assistance.
“Government funding must prioritise those institutions and they should be given the necessary support in order to develop them into class institutions. Resources must be ploughed back into the economy.”
Nanso also stated that foreign institutions have a tendency of coming to Namibia and seeking government funding “and then proceed to offer courses already available in the country, which results in an influx of graduates into the labour market who have all done similar courses”.
“We find this redundant and encourage government efforts to be geared into the direction of Namibian institutions.”
[email protected]
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