David Fono Shoombe
It is undoubtedly true that academic excellence leads to a good lifestyle, besides, it is broadening the narrow minded to see beyond the obvious. In the same vein, it is indeed true that the right academic in a wrong environment leads to disastrous results which affect the person and the community he is in. Currently, Namibian institutions of high learning are run by experienced academicians and pundits from various fields. These are new breeds of a generation that came in the period of transformation. Some of these academic leaders have been impacted by Bantu Education Act of 1953. In a comparative study, it is evident that since 1990, there has been a dramatic increase in the level of literacy in Namibia which is impressive at 91.5% reportedly in 2018. In the cherishing of increment in literacy rate, it is also the time whereby there is an escalation in humans need for social grants, increase in criminal activities within and beyond the country. The instability in many parastatals and poor cooperate governance are some of the things which make people to question academic pragmatism in Namibia.
Academic pragmatism and youth
There is no need to discourage enlightenment by any means, however, there is a need to critically interrogate the modus operandi used by academicians and policymakers as far as the pragmatic application of education is concerned. In my view, the academic interests of many academic institutions in Namibia such as the University of Namibia (Unam), Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the International University of Management (IUM) shall be flexible in order to reflect the reality on the ground. This is seen in the quality of research which are produced by students and how they impact their lives. The research of postgraduate students is supposed to be a persuasion and expansion of knowledge and interest to have an impact in the field. However, it turned out to be a requirement to pass through. This is why it is almost insufferable to complete a master’s degree in many Namibian high institutions than in western universities. Parallel to that, it is very worrisome to see a professor of business management and entrepreneurship failing to run an SME and failing dismally on running a corporate institution. What are you ‘proffessoring’ on my brother if you are not able to run a Tuck-shop?
The corporate ladder is congested so is the public service ladder and all the learned pupils look at the way they can fit in the thin gate of job security. Innovation and expansion of the industry is very little to none. The SMEs are in an incubation centre for 10 years and it makes me wonder how you could have an adult baby who can survive free trade. SMEs are not growing, the reason being most of the young entrepreneurs fail to innovate and are still applying basic business skills they got from university and would not think beyond that. Therefore, an SME in an incubation centre for more than nine years is an “adult-baby”.
Innovation
Innovation is driven by research which is driven by the need to be unique and approach the problem from different dimensions to come up with an advanced machine, advanced software or advanced model which run the industry better. I happened to be an observant in the debate among two of my friends under the topic “A second year Harvard University dropout is equivalent to a first year Masters dropout from our state university”. This was a tough topic and I realised that all the debaters were correct based on their perspectives. The academic importance is based on what universities encourage students to do in order to reach their full potential. It is necessary to force the science institutions to produce and showcase their innovative ideas and if not, there is a need to review their scientific approach to reach the end goal.
The education system shall teach the young generation how to think and how to innovate. There is a domineering need to relook at the works produced based on the research made in our home ground. The current academicians shall be a clear demonstration that what is offered can be done in the real world. There is an important need for subtending organisations such as NANSO and SUN to come on board and interrogate the current academic pragmatism and its meaning to the solutions of the challenges we face. The portfolio of international relations in any youth and student structure is very crucial as it connects the institution with others for the sharing of knowledge to improve education cooperation and innovation. Young people shall focus on debates that affects our lives and shall be at the forefront of policy influence. Issues such as African Free Trade Agreement, Climate Change, and the debates on Africa agenda 2063 shall be topics of concern and need to be related to how academic pragmatism will take us where we shall be as planned. Student organisations shall look beyond the politics of Fees Must Fall to interrogate the quality of education.
Academic pragmatism will give hope to the learners who will enter high institutions this year and the following years. In the areas where there is academic pragmatism, the society is balanced from a gardener to a theorist. The environment is not conducive for academically excelling individuals as most die with their knowledge or use them to work or benefit institutions in other countries. In my view, we have no direct political problem in our country but we have an economic problem, this is shown that where all scandals are happening, whether is cooperate or the public sector, is a matter of unequal, lost, stolen or misplaced resources. Mastering the art of resource distribution and innovation as the first point of reviving the economy will then allow the energetics, the gifted, the learned to position themselves in running a productive economy. Right knowledge acquisition and knowledge implementation will let our state develop beyond Singapore that has an effective developmental model regardless of its few natural resources.
* David Fono Shoombe holds a B. A (Hons) in political science and history from the University of Namibia. He is a Yali alumnus in Public Management and Governance.