Outapi
Polykarp Ameya, the president of the self-proclaimed Namibia People’s Organisation (Nampo), stands accused of “milking” vulnerable citizens by running an unrecognised nursing college in Outapi in the Omusati Region.
The little-known University of Technological Sciences (UNITECS) is not registered with the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA), a statutory body regulated in terms of the National Qualifications Framework Act.
UNITECS is not registered with the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA) either.
Despite not being accredited with NQA, UNITECS last year conferred its first advanced higher certificates.
Since its founding in 2012, the “university” has trained over 1 000 nursing students.
However, the masses are still unemployed despite having undergone training for up to three years.
Some of the students at the “university” have undergone advanced training.
According to Ameya, the institution is run by three full-time trainers including himself.
Ameya refused to dwell much on how much the students pay in tuition at the private-run “university”. The “university” offers studies in nursing and midwife scientific theory programmes.
The owner and founder, Ameya, dismissed allegations that he is milking students saying his “university” is only civilising UNITECS students and offering them an opportunity to read books.
He said those who want to refer to his “university” as a milking institution should refrain from sending their children to his institution.
He further disputed that his “university” is not credible. He said the students are there to enhance their understanding and have not attempted any physical diagnosis or any treatment hence the students have not committed any crime.
“In Namibia there is no law prohibiting citizens from reading science and technology literature. We are just reading books,” said Ameya.
Ameya, who admitted being in charge at the university, said he is doing business to civilise Namibians so that they become qualified to go for conventional studies after which they could go for internships.
“The books we are using are provided by government to our community library for us to read and enhance our knowledge in the field of science. In Namibia, we are applying a primitive way of reading science books because we are used to reading a book and putting it under the pillow after we are done,” explained Ameya.
Last week, students at UNITECS handed over a petition to the newly appointed Omusati Governor Erick Endjala demanding that the Health Professions Council of Namibia register the university.
“We are thus part of the youth who do not want to spend time on alcohol, instead, we have registered for nursing and midwifery theoretical studies at UNITECS. We are sure this course is good, helpful and we need to be registered with the HPCNA,” read their petition.
According to the petition students accuse certain individuals of inciting students to give up their studies at UNITECS that is also not registered with the NQA. “We advise the government not to listen to these instigators. We are aware that UNITECS’ curriculum on comprehensive nursing and midwifery science is a good programme, thus we are sure this course is good, helpful and just need to be registered with HPCNA,” read the petition.