WINDHOEK – The National Commission on Research, Science, and Technology (NCRST) is in the process of head-hunting for a suitable candidate after they failed to find the right person to fill the vacant post of its CEO through interviews conducted late last year.
This was revealed by Higher Education, Training and Innovation Minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi in the National Assembly last week when she responded to questions raised by Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora on the vacant post.
The NCRST post has been vacant since 2017 when its former CEO, Dr Eino Mvula, left the commission for the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (Nsfaf).
In response, Kandjji-Murangi said the interviews for the position of NCRST CEO were conducted in October 2018.
She revealed that two candidates were recommended and their names were forwarded to her office for approval as per the NCRST Act of 2004, Section 14 (1).
Further, she explained the psychological profiling conducted by the NCRST indicated that the selected candidates did not have the required experience to operate at a strategic level, and therefore, they were not suitable for the position.
“The commission has informed my office that they have approved head-hunting as a method of identifying the rightful candidate and they are currently in the process of head-hunting for a suitable candidate. The process will be finalised in due course,” she said.
The NCRST is responsible for conducting and developing research and innovation activities as well as providing guidance to institutions such as the University of Namibia (Unam), the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), and private research institutions.
The minister said it was therefore very important that the head of the NCRST is able to operate at a strategic level.
Kavekotora also wanted to know whether the National Council on Higher Education (NCHE) has been without a substantive head for nearly two years.
In this regard, she responded that NCHE is not a separate entity but a directorate under the higher education ministry.
She said the head of the directorate is a director and a staff member has already been appointed as such.
Kavekotora also wanted the minister to provide clarity on allegations that she stopped the recruitment process for a vice-chancellor at Nust, after Tjama Tjivikua had left.
She responded that the candidates interviewed at Nust were found to be not suitable, hence the council decided to re-advertise.
According to her, after internal deliberations, a second advertisement was placed.
“The current council’s term will lapse soon. Therefore, the incoming council will be best suited to finalise the recruitment process,” she said.