Studies On Empty Stomachs

I WOULD like to air my concerns about Namibian students who are currently abroad under scholarships in countries such as Russia, Algeria, to mention but a few.

Its a good programme the government had set up to assist students but the Ministry of Education and its NSFAF board are failing to maintain a well implemented programme, therefore plunging sons and daughters of the Namibian soil into chaos rather than success in their studies, despite 23per cent of the national budget allocated to them. As a student studying under the Russian scholarship there are problems we encounter which are ignored.One might then wonder, why should the government keep on sending students abroad if they cannot guarantee full support for them? Students are going through intolerable hardships which cause poor academic perfomances and dismissal from universities.Thus many have returned back home and we will follow them if nothing is done.This situation needs to get to the ears of the President himself because we are sick and tired.Before going abroad students sign a contract with NSFAF on financial support and the Ministry always says these funds are a form of stipend for personal expenses which is not the case.There are unforeseen events that the Ministry is not aware of, such as paying for hostel accommodation.The Ministry thinks the hostel and tuition fees are paid by the Russian Government but they are only subsidised.Recently, there has been an increase in extra fees in some hostel accommodations.The prescription of stipends was based on an old standard of living, but things are changing at a rapid rate so students’ stipends need to be evaluated with immediate effect to match the prevailing conditions.Due to recent increases of different commodities, the devaluation of the US$ currency across the world, the standard of living in Russia has increased.Research has also ranked Moscow as the most expensive city in the world.Another intolerable annual problem is the delay in sending stipends from Namibia.Each and every year there is a delay for at least three months.During this period students have to miss their classes especially medical students who travel from one hospital to another for their practice.Some ended up in hospitals with gastroenterological diseases because there is nothing to eat for three-four months.Our girls are dating men against their will as a way of surviving, but surely promoting what we call “marrying for citizenship” and prostitution even.This fact alone does not prompt NSFAF to wake up, but there other problems such as difficulties in changing areas of specialisation within a field of study, high bank charges since our embassy which receives money is in Moscow, so students in peripheral areas lose a lot of money through transfers from Moscow to their respectively towns/cities and the list goes on.Something positive should be done with immediate effect.Ruben.S.Kanime Vice General-Secretary Union of Namibian Students in Russia(NamSURF)As a student studying under the Russian scholarship there are problems we encounter which are ignored.One might then wonder, why should the government keep on sending students abroad if they cannot guarantee full support for them? Students are going through intolerable hardships which cause poor academic perfomances and dismissal from universities.Thus many have returned back home and we will follow them if nothing is done.This situation needs to get to the ears of the President himself because we are sick and tired.Before going abroad students sign a contract with NSFAF on financial support and the Ministry always says these funds are a form of stipend for personal expenses which is not the case.There are unforeseen events that the Ministry is not aware of, such as paying for hostel accommodation.The Ministry thinks the hostel and tuition fees are paid by the Russian Government but they are only subsidised.Recently, there has been an increase in extra fees in some hostel accommodations.The prescription of stipends was based on an old standard of living, but things are changing at a rapid rate so students’ stipends need to be evaluated with immediate effect to match the prevailing conditions.Due to recent increases of different commodities, the devaluation of the US$ currency across the world, the standard of living in Russia has increased.Research has also ranked Moscow as the most expensive city in the world.Another intolerable annual problem is the delay in sending stipends from Namibia.Each and every year there is a delay for at least three months.During this period students have to miss their classes especially medical students who travel from one hospital to another for their practice.Some ended up in hospitals with gastroenterological diseases because there is nothing to eat for three-four months.Our girls are dating men against their will as a way of surviving, but surely promoting what we call “marrying for citizenship” and prostitution even.This fact alone does not prompt NSFAF to wake up, but there other problems such as difficulties in changing areas of specialisation within a field of study, high bank charges since our embassy which receives money is in Moscow, so students in peripheral areas lose a lot of money through transfers from Moscow to their respectively towns/cities and the list goes on.Something positive should be done with immediate effect.Ruben.S.Kanime Vice General-Secretary Union of Namibian Students in Russia(NamSURF)