By Frederick Philander
WINDHOEK
The 2007 academic year was an interesting one with regard to the interaction between the SRC and the management of the Polytechnic of Namibia.
This is the view of Dr Gert Gunzel, Vice-Rector of Administration and Finance at the tertiary institution when last week he welcomed the 2008 Student Representative Council.
“We might have mixed feelings about the interaction. However, it was a very good lesson for both of us how things should not be done and how issues can be solved.
“Life is a continuous learning process and we should make good use of such experiences in our lives. One lesson we all should have learned is that we always achieve more by talking with each other than by fighting each other,” said Gunzel, who was referring to the standoff between students and his management about delays in payment of bursaries.
“At every handing over ceremony I criticised the absence of an academic culture amongst our students. I implored the incoming SRC to actively change this shortcoming. Has anything changed in this regard? Do our students openly discuss and debate their future? Do we tolerate ideas and points of view which completely differ from those traditionally propagated,” he asked.
According to the vice-rector the comparative advantage that counts in the globalized environment is the application of knowledge and skills.
“If I may ask the outgoing SRC what they have done to change the basic attitudes, values and actions of our students in favour of a knowledge-focused learning agenda, what would your answer be? Can we, the outgoing SRC, say that we ensured a conducive learning environment for our fellow students?
“To those SRC members who have served the Polytechnic for the past year, our sincere thanks. You know better than everyone else whether you were an asset or not,” he said.
He further thanked all students who were involved in and guaranteed the fair and democratic election of the new SRC.
To the incoming SRC he had the following to say: “You have been elected by your fellow students into formal leadership positions to serve the student community and your alma mater to the best of your abilities.
“It is not an easy task to be a good student leader and if you are good leaders you will receive a lot of criticism from your fellow students. There are too many different perceptions of what you should do and what may be expected of you by your fellow students.”
He urged the SRC to guarantee an enabling study environment for the student community at the Polytechnic of Namibia.