WINDHOEK – Lenyfas College Andragogy (LCA), which is sponsored by the Namibia Literacy Trust under the Directorate of Adult Basic Education in the Ministry of Education, is not yet registered with the Namibian Qualification Authority (NQA), but the institution says it has started with the process of applying for registration.
LCA commenced operations in 2006, when it was still called the Mindset Change Radio Programme on the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and dealt with both youth and adult issues.
“The project was very successful and helped many youth. In 2009 we decided to make it a college – we realised that people wanted to learn, and that’s how it started,” said Elifas Shilongo, Director and Founder of LCA. The radio programme was then transformed into a project called “the Mindset Change Project’’ which still focused on youth and adults.
According to Shilongo, LCA is run and directed by Namibians and the college is in good standing.
Shilongo continued that the institution does not have any reported scandals and he noted that the college is going strong with many students registering every year. Shilongo remarked that LCA currently has 2 000 students but said his aim is to strive for many more enrolments.
Shilongo added that LCA, sponsored by the Namibia Literacy Trust, faced a dilemma in that it had to decide either to wait for the NQA for accreditation or to start assisting people while waiting for the appropriate paperwork from the NQA.
Shilongo noted that they took the decision to go ahead in light of the fact that the youth need skills and knowledge to go out and make a difference in their lives.
The institution is still working on securing endorsements from all stakeholders for each course offered.
Shilongo claimed that most of the institution’s graduates have been employed thus far.
“We don’t want money, we want to be successful and to impart skills to these students and that is what we do,” said Shilongo.
LCA graduate, Frans Shimoshili, who studied Secretarial Administration, said he gained some crucial skills for his current job as an assistant veterinarian at an animal hospital in Windhoek.
Another student said: “I didn’t get my certificate because I failed some of the courses. I failed because there were no textbooks to study from and I am not working yet.”
LCA has branches in Windhoek, Ondangwa, Eenhana, Rundu and Outapi.
Shilongo noted that more than 100 students have graduated with diplomas and certificates from LCA, which he said believes in maximising human capital to enable and to maintain a strong nation.
“Our work is to develop the talents of students living with disabilities and immigrants of all ethnic and cultural minorities,’’ concluded Shilongo.