Letter to the editor: Unam in a 'state of disorder'

An anonymous, concerned student writes: The University of Namibia (Unam) is in a state of disorder and students bear the brunt of the mismanagement. Delayed registrations, absent lecturers, unclear assignments and last-minute changes have left many feeling helpless and unheard. Who will address these issues? Who will step in to bring order to this chaos?The registration process has been repeatedly postponed, leaving students in limbo. Many were unable to proceed with their enrolment because the system failed to confirm their provisional admission status. Desperate for clarity, they reached out numerous times with little success. Only after persistent enquiries and in-person visits were they finally registered – only to realise they had already missed crucial tests in their core modules.While some lecturers have accommodated students with makeup tests, others have been completely unresponsive. Full-time students, who carefully budget their transportation costs, show up for scheduled classes only to find that their lecturers have failed to appear without any explanation. Part-time and online students, who juggle work and academics, face their own set of challenges – technological hurdles, cancelled online classes, and a complete lack of communication from lecturers.Even those who manage to register on time encounter setbacks. It takes days for their information to reflect in the system, preventing access to necessary course materials. Some modules remain inactive, with no guidance on assignments. Others see abrupt changes – like a recent case in the law faculty, where an individual assignment was suddenly turned into a group project just four days before the deadline due to the lecturer’s concerns about grading workload.This level of confusion and inconsistency is unacceptable. Students are investing their time, money and energy into their education, only to face unnecessary obstacles at every turn. How can we be expected to succeed when the very institution responsible for guiding us is failing to do so?We are not demanding the impossible – we simply ask for organisation, transparency and accountability. Unam must take immediate action before this academic year spirals into frustration and failure.This is our plea. Is anyone listening?

Letter to the editor: Unam in a 'state of disorder'

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-26

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Letter to the editor: Unam in a 'state of disorder'

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Namibian Sun 2025-02-26

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