Unam raises tuition fees

PAULINA NDALIKOKULETHE University of Namibia will increase students’ 2019 tuition fees by 6%, and has cited economic hardships for that decision.The registration fees, as well as the hostel fees, will also be increased next year.

Unam’s communications and marketing director Edwin Tjiramba announced the intended fee changes in a notice released on Wednesday.

He said the decision to increase student fees was taken by the Unam council, considering the financial predicament and the general economic outlook nationwide which the university finds itself in.

Registration fees will be increased by N$150 from N$1 425 to N$1 575.

Students who will be accommodated in Unam’s hostels will be required to pay the hostel fees at registration.

According to the notice, Namibian and SADC students seeking accommodation at Unam’s campuses will pay from N$12 800 to N$16 000 as hostel fees upon registration.

Non-SADC students will pay from N$21 300 to N$32 000 in hostel fees, depending on the campus they are accommodated at.

The hostel fees include breakfast at Unam’s main campus, as well as at nine other campuses.

Students accommodated at the health and science campuses in Windhoek and at one campus in the north will not get breakfast.

“The council will communicate the minimum payable deposit on tuition fees per faculty in due course,” the statement read.

The decision to increase students’ tuition fees comes a month after the university agreed to award its employees a 5% salary increase following a two-week industrial strike.

Tjiramba further stated that the university will honour that agreement to staff within the bargaining unit before 15 December.

Staff members who don’t fall within the bargaining unit (management) will get a 3% once-off of basic salary.

Unam’s students representative council president, Tuhafeni Kalola, yesterday told he was aware of the proposed increases, and that he was not happy with the decision.

He said it was not a good idea since the students were “already struggling to pay the current fees”.

“To me, this a national issue since the parents and community members are also weeping. We understand the inflation issue of every year, but I urge the university to be considerate,” he stressed.

He added that the university must not use the students to raise money to settle its bills, but should instead find other means of making money.

“Apart from only milking money from students., Unam should not be dependent on the students to make money. They should take care of their expenses, and cut on unnecessary costs. Our position is always that any fee increment is never good news for the masses of our students. We will deliberate on the increase as council, and revert to you as soon as possible on our position,” he noted.

Nanso’s Khomas region vice chairperson, Shoki Kandjimi, said they were shocked by Unam’s decision. He said they will consult other students representative bodies to find an amicable solution to the situation.

“Our concern is that the students will be heavily affected by this fee increment, especially the privately funded students. We urge the university to consider the students in this economic climate that the country is finding itself in,” he said.

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