Find your way back, private foreign students told

GOVERNMENT has urged privately funded students abroad to arrange their own return to Namibia.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of International Relations Cooperation and Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) said they have received overwhelming requests from students abroad seeking assistance to be repatriated home after completing their studies.

Higher education ministry’s executive director, Alfred van Kent on Tuesday said while the government has been requested by privately funded students who graduated abroad, to provide them financial assistance to return to Namibia, the private sponsors should take responsibility.

“As a government, Namibia is very concerned about the welfare of Namibians in the diaspora. While the government is concerned about the welfare of Namibians in the diaspora, it is equally the responsibility of such persons to look after their own well-being when they are in foreign countries at their own accord,” he said.

He added that such students are therefore advised to make their own arrangements through their parents, guardians and sponsors to secure the required financial means to return home.

“As much as the government appreciates the efforts of parents, guardians and private companies to ensure that their children and employees acquire quality higher education abroad, such students or employees remain and the responsibility of parents, guardians and sponsoring agencies to ensure that they complete their studies abroad and they return to Namibia upon completion of their studies,” he said.

Van Kent noted that in order to extend a helping hand to privately funded students, NSFAF provided funds to those students who applied for this once off financial support.

However those who did not manage to receive the once off support should make their own arrangements to return.

“Currently the government is availing study loans through NSFAF to deserving Namibian students to study at approved institutions of higher learning, locally, regionally and internationally. Students who receive study assistance through NSFAF or any other government ministry are taken care of,” he said.

In a statement issued by the student fund earlier this month, payments were made for 314 Namibians students studying abroad, both privately and government funded. The total amount involved is U$23 850 (N$422 145).

The student fund also offered flight tickets to graduating students abroad. Since the beginning of the pandemic, NSFAF has issued flights to 20 students in Ukraine to return to Namibia at a total cost of N$520 760.

The fund is set to also repatriate Namibian students in Russia on a Westair flight scheduled to depart from Frankfurt on 28 August.

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