PM orders ministry, NSFAFto settle graduating students’ outstanding fees

The Office of the Prime Minister has issued a directive to the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation to fund students who are due for graduation in April this year and still owe Namibian universities.

This is contained in a letter written to the executive director of higher education, technology and innovation, Alfred van Kent, earlier this month by the secretary to the Cabinet, George Simataa.

“I am writing to inform you of the prime minister’s directive to the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation to engage Namibian local universities to allow all students with outstanding tuition fees, and who are due for graduation in April 2024, to be permitted to attend the ceremony,” Simataa said.

He said the directive was made due to the fact that the Office of the Prime Minister is inundated with requests from students who are unable to settle their debts in time for their graduation.

“Therefore, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) should be directed to pay the outstanding tuition fees of all affected students and ensure they recover their monies from the students in accordance with their recovery policy,” the letter reads.

The letter further says should the fund not be in a position to pay the outstanding fees, the ministry is directed to approach the treasury for an additional capital injection to the NSFAF.

“This is to ensure this directive is carried out without fail,” Simataa said.

Ministry spokesperson Selma Ngola says the executive director has received the letter.

“We have received it and we are dealing with it, and it has also been forwarded to the NSFAF,” she says.

Questions sent to the NSFAF’s acting chief executive, Kennedy Kandume, were yesterday not responded to.

DIRECTIVE WELCOMED

Students Union of Namibia (SUN) national chairperson Vernet Mukoya says the union welcomes the move by the prime minister.

“The directive is very good, and this is a swift response to students’ cries – especially those who were already losing hope – and we wish it will continue that way,” he says.

Mukoya says the union does not understand why the NSFAF does not settle tuition fees on time while the budget for this is allocated to them on time.

“They must consider that students were admitted at these institutions to be funded by the NSFAF, and they have a contract with them.

“We don’t understand why they never want to do that,” he says.