By Frederick Philander WINDHOEK “WE are very much encouraged and inspired with both the Minister of Education and the Prime Minister’s positive attitudes towards our proposals for a National Education Conference, instead of only the ETSIP-programme of the Government.” So said the president of the Namibia National Students’ Organization (Nanso), Mandela Kapere, when approached for comment on an official visit last week to the minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba. Nanso has been insisting and working diligently behind the scenes for a discussion platform on education for all stakeholders for quite some time now. “We explained to the minister that we accepted ETSIP as but one initiative to improve the weaknesses in the education system over the next thirty years. However, we expressed our profound concerns for the interim period. That’s where our proposed national education conference can come in,” Kapere told New Era. According to the student leader the minister was quite willing to listen to their arguments and proposals for an improved education system. More student news is that a student delegation of 24 under the leadership of the National Youth Council’s Secretary-General, Julie Kavetana, today leaves for Libya in North Africa. The Youth Summit on a united Africa, spearheaded by Libya’s President, Colonel Muhammar Gadaffi, will be held in Tripoli. Nanso will be represented at the summit by the organization’s Secretary-General, Neville Andre after an orientation course on Thursday with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Some of the important issues to be discussed during the summit are an umbrella body for African youth councils, the drafting of a plan for a possible continental youth parliament, the establishment of a youth development and care fund, the formation of a sub-committee at an African level and to look at ways to accelerate the establishment of the United States of Africa.