By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
The number of science graduates produced by one of the institutions of higher learning in the country is insufficient, and will not help to accelerate economic growth and development that will lead to the realisation of Vision 2030.
Dean of the Science Fa-culty at the University of Namibia (Unam) Professor Enos Kiremire said the university produced only 500 science graduates in the past 12 years.
“If Namibia was to produce 600 research scientists and engineers as Japan’s 1993 rate, it will need 15 000 to realise Vision 2030. But if Unam produces 500 every 10 years, then in 2030, it will have 1 500. This is only one-tenth of the required number,” he said.
Kiremire said there is a great need for resources such as laboratory equipment and staffing. There are 50 lecturers on the ground operating eight science departments.
Despite working under strenuous conditions, the university has excelled at different levels.
At its inception in 1993, the faculty enrolled 144 undergraduate students. By 2003, the intake figure rose to 670 and in 2005, the figure came to 805.
The number of graduates in 1993 stood at six males and four females. Ten years later, it rose to 37 males and 39 females while in 2005, 32 males and 44 females graduated.
At the postgraduate level, the department has one computing graduate, three in chemistry (one PhD and two MSc), and nine in biology (one PhD and eight MSc).
Enrolled postgraduates include 11 in chemistry, 13 in biology, two in geology including founding President Sam Nujoma, one in physics and two in computing.
The faculty during 2006 produced 38 publications in referred journals. This contributed greatly to the University of Namibia ranking 16 on the ladder of best African universities.
The performance of Unam engineering and medicine students abroad, Kiremire said, has been excellent.
“Those who go for engineering and medicine in South Africa are excelling.
One skipped the honours programme and went straight to the masters programme. One student who passed through Unam, got a first class in electrical engineering in 2005 at the University of Cape Town without repeating a year,” he said.
Last week, the university held a two-day workshop aimed at developing the nation’s science programmes.
Every four years, the department reviews the science curriculum and programmes offered by the institution.
The review, Kiremire said, “is aimed at strengthening the faculty offerings of science at Unam to ensure a very high quality of science graduates in the country”.
Ninety delegates attended the workshop from the ministries of Health, Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Mines and Energy, Education, and also Environment and Tourism. The National Planning Commission, Central Veterinary Laboratory, the City of Windhoek, Namibia Institute of Pathology, Petrofund, National Qualifications Authority, among others, were presented at the workshop.
External examiners from Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe also formed part of the delegates.