66% of graduates at Unam Southern Campus women

Vice president and University of Namibia chancellor Nangolo Mbumba says men in the country need to redouble their efforts in educating and empowering themselves to play a meaningful role in society.

Mbumba said this at Unam’s Southern Campus graduation ceremony at Keetmanshoop yesterday, where 66% of graduates were women, whereas 34% were men.

“This is a very worrisome situation, where the boy child is lagging behind in education. Eventually, you see after men and women get married, the woman chose to educate herself and has found a meaningful job based on her qualifications, the man comes and says ‘I am the boss’. “No sir, forget about that,” he said.

“There are no shortcuts in life other than of working very hard and being committed to achieving one’s goals. This trend is worrisome, and it requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

“It is imperative that Unam and other institutions of higher learning in society inculcate in the citizens the values of peace, non-violence, promotion of gender equality, and appreciation of cultural diversity,” said Mbumba.

The university awarded certificates, diplomas, degrees and post-graduate diplomas in the fields of geoscience, education, management sciences, law, and nursing.

Mbumba urged the students not to view their graduation as “having arrived” but to take note of the technological advances and other human developments, and make their academic journey a lifelong experience.

“Unam has prepared you for the world of work, and expects you to be socially conscious, productive, and responsible members of society. Remember, education is a public good, because of its wider benefits to the individuals, societies, and economies.”

“Go out to society and the world of work, and use the acquired knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to serve as role models, improve your conditions, make a difference, and better society,” said Mbumba.

Unam vice chancellor Kenneth Matengu said the world is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements and changing global trends, including the emergence of new industries with a growing emphasis on sustainability and innovation.

Matengu said, therefore, it is imperative for universities to play a critical role in developing the high-to-mid level skills needed to support these industries.

“Our institution recognises the importance of staying ahead of the curve and has taken proactive steps to equip our students with the knowledge and skills necessary for the future,” Matengu said.

“For instance, our focus on green hydrogen is testament to our commitment to sustainability and the energy transition. Our students have been exposed to cutting-edge research and development in this field, and are poised to make significant contributions to the industry,” said Matengu.

He noted the university equally continues to invest in data sciences due to the growing importance of data-driven decision-making and, therefore, the university is exposing its students to the latest tools and techniques to handle the challenges of working with vast amounts of data.

“Indeed, at Unam, we understand the overall skills needed for the fourth Industrial Revolution, and our transformed curricula reflect this. We have developed courses and programmes that focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and blockchain, to name a few,” said Matengu.