Paheja Siririka
The president of the Namibian National Student Organisation (Nanso), Simon Taapopi, said the association has to date assisted more than 7 000 students from the higher education sector as part of the Access to Education Campaign.
The objective of the campaign is to ensure every Namibian enjoys the right to education as enshrined in the Namibian constitution.
The process comprised NSFAF application, registrations, certification of documents, hostel applications, among others. Taapopi was briefing the press and students from the vocational sector on the progress of the organisation in terms of the outcome of the Access to Education campaign.
The campaign, which ran from January to early this month, mandated the organisation to remove all barriers and challenges that obstruct or hinder students and learners from accessing their basic right to education. “The process was of facilitation and assistive in nature – and the core of this campaign was the different stakeholders in education and all strata of society,” explained Taapopi.
He also revealed the organisation has entered into a partnership with Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (Nimt) to offer scholarships to prospective students.
Among others, Nanso has, through the campaign, facilitated a 100% enrolment. More than 2 000 were assisted with enrolment in the Oshana region. “Stationery were donated to about 78 orphans in the Otjozondjupa region, with efforts still on-going in the region,” said Taapopi.
The Hardap region also benefitted from the intervention of Nanso. “We sought clarification on the progression of grade 10 learners in the Hardap region, who were promoted without meeting the promotion criteria,” stated Taapopi.
He noted that despite ensuring learners have access to edification, students, especially under basic education, still face numerous challenges. “Learners still do not have enough desks and chairs in classrooms; they are still overcrowded in classrooms; they also walk long distances to schools, and accommodation and serious student safety persists,” said Taapopi.
– psiririka@nepc.com.na