African students union president challenges Govt on free education, honours IUM founder

All-African Students Union president Osisiogu Osikenye has thanked the Namibian government for implementing free education, but also challenged it to further strengthen access to quality education and improve student welfare.

Osikenye made the remark while honouring International University of Management (IUM) founder David Namwandi with a prestigious award for distinguished leadership and service at IUM in Windhoek on Monday.

Osikenye travelled from Nigeria to Namibia to present the award, saying Namwandi’s contribution to education goes beyond Namibia and benefits the entire African continent.

“David Namwandi does not only belong to Namibia, he belongs to Africa,” he said.

He added that while Namibia has made progress in expanding access to education, more needs to be done to improve the conditions under which students study.

“We are calling on everybody who has the means, just like Namwandi has done, to invest in education. It may not necessarily be to establish a big institution, but to ensure that students are supported,” Osikenye said.

In appreciation of the award, Namwandi said the recognition belongs to the continent and represents Africa’s collective progress in education.
“This award is not mine, it belongs to Africa and it represents Africa,” he said.

Namwandi also encouraged Namibian student unions to work together in the interest of students.
“Namibian unions should work together. We are not at war,” he said.

He specifically referred to the Namibian National Students Organisation and the Namibia National Students Association, which were absent at the event.

‘28 000 STUDENTS’

Students’ Union of Namibia president Shikesho Natangwe says the award symbolises hard work, resilience and dedication in building the institution.

“We will forever remember this award as a symbol of the hard work, resilience and dedication that built IUM,” he says.
Natangwe says the university started from humble beginnings.

“IUM started in a kitchen with one student, but today it has more than 28 000 students and about five campuses,” he says.

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