Ministry of Education responds

THE Ministry of Education has taken time out to respond to a number of the complaints about the Education Sector, which have been SMSed to The Namibian: Can the Ministry of Education please tell me what are the requirements or criteria to be eligible for a bursary or scholarship after Grade 12? Your immediate response will be most appreciated.

The Ministry does not offer bursaries and also does not offer

scholarships for undergraduate studies.

The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) in the

Ministry of Education only offers student loans for Undergraduate

Studies (i.e.

 

Diploma and Degrees) and Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies

(i.e.

 

Masters and Doctorate Degrees).

 

The student loans are awarded to students who are orphans, those

who are studying fields of high priority and those whose parents

cannot afford to pay for their studies.

 

The loans are awarded to students whose parents' combined income

is N$150 000 and less, before deductions.

 

The Ministry of Education does not provide support to needy

students further their studies.

 

Some of us have applied for study loans for three consecutive

years without success.

 

How are we going to accomplish the objectives of Vision 2030 if

you don't provide financial assistance for studies? The Namibia

Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) in the Ministry of

Education is unfortunately unable to assist every student applying

for a loan.

 

The NSFAF receives close to 18 000 applications every year, but

is only able to assist around 3 000 to 4 000 new students each

year.

 

The Selection Committee selects students with good Grade 12

results who are from very disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

Since its inception, the NSFAF has assisted over 22 000 students

to the tune of close to N$400 million.

 

When will the Grade 12 NSSC Ordinary level results be out? The

results are expected to be released during the last week of January

2008.

 

The Ministry will announce the exact release dates in the coming

weeks.

 

Yours in Education Public Relations Office

 

The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) in the

Ministry of Education only offers student loans for Undergraduate

Studies (i.e.Diploma and Degrees) and Scholarship for Postgraduate

Studies (i.e.Masters and Doctorate Degrees).The student loans are

awarded to students who are orphans, those who are studying fields

of high priority and those whose parents cannot afford to pay for

their studies.The loans are awarded to students whose parents'

combined income is N$150 000 and less, before deductions. The

Ministry of Education does not provide support to needy students

further their studies.Some of us have applied for study loans for

three consecutive years without success.How are we going to

accomplish the objectives of Vision 2030 if you don't provide

financial assistance for studies? The Namibia Student Financial

Assistance Fund (NSFAF) in the Ministry of Education is

unfortunately unable to assist every student applying for a

loan.The NSFAF receives close to 18 000 applications every year,

but is only able to assist around 3 000 to 4 000 new students each

year.The Selection Committee selects students with good Grade 12

results who are from very disadvantaged backgrounds.Since its

inception, the NSFAF has assisted over 22 000 students to the tune

of close to N$400 million. When will the Grade 12 NSSC Ordinary

level results be out? The results are expected to be released

during the last week of January 2008.The Ministry will announce the

exact release dates in the coming weeks. Yours in Education Public

Relations Office

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