SOME students this week complained that the University of Namibia’s registration period was too short and that payment was being demanded from some of them.
This comes after Unam announced early in the week that prospective students could register without paying the registration fee, which however has to be paid by 2 February, with 50% of the annual tuition fee.
Some parents, who spoke to yesterday in confidence, said their children were turned away for not paying the registration fee.
Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho yesterday denied that the university had turned away any students and explained the registration process.
He said there were three registration points – for administration, academic enquiries and payments.
Namesho said students were allowed to go through the first two points, but that their registration status would remain pending until payment was received by 2 February. “If payments are not made by 2 February 2018, such a registration status will lapse and one will be required to re-register during the late registration period (with late registration fees applicable),” he said.
Namesho said access to the student portal and printing of the proof of registration for prospective students, who have made payment, would be available after point 3 of the 2018 registration process.
Figures he provided show that Unam registered 9 499 students last year, of which the main campus had the biggest intake of 5 000 students.
Due to the large number of students flocking to the university’s main campus to register this week, some students felt a week’s registration was not enough, and that it would be unfair for some to end up as late registrations because there was not enough time to register normally. Namesho said Unam was open to extending registration if necessary.
