NEWS - NAMIBIA
| 2013-08-07Govt could pay N$1,6m for college change
Ndanki Kahiurika
THE government will have to pay about N$1,6 million of tax-payers’ money if plans to transfer 76 Namibian students from an Indian college to a university go ahead.
The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) recently condemned Bangalore City College and suggested that the students be transferred to JSS University where there are better accommodation facilities.
NSFAF discovered during a recent visit to India that the student accommodation at Bangalore City College was not up to standard. The visit also served to verify the authenticity of some of the colleges in that country which enrol Namibian students.
If they are transferred, the students will not receive any credit for the modules they have already completed at Bangalore City College while the government will fork out between N$700 000 and N$1,6 million depending on the courses the NSFAF-sponsored students are doing.
The move, which was reportedly not communicated to the students, requires the government to pay for an additional year for some of the students who have already completed their first year at Bangalore City College.
The Namibia Qualifications Authority chief executive officer, Franz Gertze, said although Bangalore City College is accredited, the decision to move the students is in response to the poor services offered and that Namibia wants to ensure that the students get the best services abroad.
The Ministry of Education has referred queries to the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund but those responsible for dealing with the media were not reachable. An official in the ministry, however, confirmed the plans for the change of college but did not want to be named.
Some of the students are not happy with this decision and wrote to the Ministry of Education complaining of being forced into the transfer.
According to a letter seen by The Namibian, the students fear that they will be forced to study medical-related subjects at JSS University because there are no courses such as commerce, journalism and fashion at the institution.
Some of the students, mostly those who pay their own fees, also fear that if they switch colleges now, their study permits would become invalid in the event that the university does not enrol them.
Meanwhile, last year the ministry reportedly approved student loans and grants amounting to N$512 million and will this year spend another N$600 million on student loans and grants.
The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) recently condemned Bangalore City College and suggested that the students be transferred to JSS University where there are better accommodation facilities.
NSFAF discovered during a recent visit to India that the student accommodation at Bangalore City College was not up to standard. The visit also served to verify the authenticity of some of the colleges in that country which enrol Namibian students.
If they are transferred, the students will not receive any credit for the modules they have already completed at Bangalore City College while the government will fork out between N$700 000 and N$1,6 million depending on the courses the NSFAF-sponsored students are doing.
The move, which was reportedly not communicated to the students, requires the government to pay for an additional year for some of the students who have already completed their first year at Bangalore City College.
The Namibia Qualifications Authority chief executive officer, Franz Gertze, said although Bangalore City College is accredited, the decision to move the students is in response to the poor services offered and that Namibia wants to ensure that the students get the best services abroad.
The Ministry of Education has referred queries to the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund but those responsible for dealing with the media were not reachable. An official in the ministry, however, confirmed the plans for the change of college but did not want to be named.
Some of the students are not happy with this decision and wrote to the Ministry of Education complaining of being forced into the transfer.
According to a letter seen by The Namibian, the students fear that they will be forced to study medical-related subjects at JSS University because there are no courses such as commerce, journalism and fashion at the institution.
Some of the students, mostly those who pay their own fees, also fear that if they switch colleges now, their study permits would become invalid in the event that the university does not enrol them.
Meanwhile, last year the ministry reportedly approved student loans and grants amounting to N$512 million and will this year spend another N$600 million on student loans and grants.
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