Why Unam Is Best

ALLOW me to prove why the University of Namibia is the best place to study here, if not in Africa. I am not writing this article because I am a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and am sick and tired of people mis-stating and mis-representing the state of affairs at UNAM.

Firstly I want to set the record straight, that Unam is not and will never go 10 years (steps) backwards as proposed by some former students, like it or not Unam is going forward. It genuinely disturbs me as Vice President of the Alumni Student Club to see former Unam students badmouthing the university in the media after the resources the university has invested in them, what a pathetic way of showing gratitude.I would also like to use this platform to appeal to all former Unam students to join and use the University of Namibia Alumni Association to criticise and contribute to the university.Unam recognises the importance of its former students and has two Alumni representatives on the highest policy formulating body (the University Council).Secondly I would like to encourage grade 12 learners to apply for admission at Unam because it is the best place for them to study and brighten their future.Thirdly, I want to mention things the critics don’t say: * Unam is in the top 15 universities in Africa, considering we are under 20 years old.* Unam completed a successful curriculum review.* Unam is building a new faculty of engineering.* A planned medical school is under way * A new hostel complex is planned, construction is expected to start by the end of the year.* A new student centre is planned.* New lecture halls are also planned and some are currently being constructed * State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment is installed in lecture halls to improve the quality of learning.* Flat-screen computers are now up and in use at the library.These are just few of the projects the University of Namibia is undertaking to improve the quality of service and education offered to students.Of course there are challenges the university is faced with, from academic to student services.Like the saying goes Rome was not built in one day.I recognise there are bad apples among the academic and administrative staff of Unam, and my advice to them is shape up or shift out.Last but not least, I would like appeal to the Unam community and the general public to start/continue contributing to the development of Unam because Unam is a national project for all Namibians and when Unam fails, the nation fails.I would also like to thank the Swapo party government for its active role in Unam and its keen interest to improve the educational system of our country.Nicky K.Mutenda UNAM SRC for Culture, Vice President of the Alumni Student ClubIt genuinely disturbs me as Vice President of the Alumni Student Club to see former Unam students badmouthing the university in the media after the resources the university has invested in them, what a pathetic way of showing gratitude.I would also like to use this platform to appeal to all former Unam students to join and use the University of Namibia Alumni Association to criticise and contribute to the university.Unam recognises the importance of its former students and has two Alumni representatives on the highest policy formulating body (the University Council).Secondly I would like to encourage grade 12 learners to apply for admission at Unam because it is the best place for them to study and brighten their future.Thirdly, I want to mention things the critics don’t say: * Unam is in the top 15 universities in Africa, considering we are under 20 years old.* Unam completed a successful curriculum review.* Unam is building a new faculty of engineering.* A planned medical school is under way * A new hostel complex is planned, construction is expected to start by the end of the year.* A new student centre is planned.* New lecture halls are also planned and some are currently being constructed * State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment is installed in lecture halls to improve the quality of learning.* Flat-screen computers are now up and in use at the library.These are just few of the projects the University of Namibia is undertaking to improve the quality of service and education offered to students.Of course there are challenges the university is faced with, from academic to student services.Like the saying goes Rome was not built in one day.I recognise there are bad apples among the academic and administrative staff of Unam, and my advice to them is shape up or shift out.Last but not least, I would like appeal to the Unam community and the general public to start/continue contributing to the development of Unam because Unam is a national project for all Namibians and when Unam fails, the nation fails.I would also like to thank the Swapo party government for its active role in Unam and its keen interest to improve the educational system of our country.Nicky K.Mutenda UNAM SRC for Culture, Vice President of the Alumni Student Club