Namcol only has capacity for 18,000 learners

Alvine Kapitako Windhoek-The Namibian College of Open Learning (Namcol) only has capacity to accommodate 18,000 learners for this academic year, the director Heroldt Murangi said last week. Speaking at a press conference, a concerned Murangi, who touched on the performances in English second language, said more than 12,000 full-time and 18,000 part-time candidates found it difficult to score the required D grade and above, which is required for admission to institutions of higher learning. “A great number of these learners might seek entry to Namcol for the 2018 academic year to improve on their English results,” said Murangi. This means more than 30,000 might need entry to Namcol, while the college only has capacity to accommodate 18,000 for the 2018 academic year, said Murangi. Furthermore, Murangi also expressed concern over the number of Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) subject entries, totalling 4,398, which is 15.5 percent, not entered for in the 2017 examinations. “Equally, it is a matter of concern that over 10,000 subject entries for the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate for ordinary level (NSSCO) were recorded as incompletes,” said Murangi. He attributed this to different reasons such as learners finding employment, learners registering as a means of accessing social benefits and learners participating in the medical aid schemes of their parents. “This trend affects results negatively hence Namcol commissioned a study to establish the reasons for learner dropout,” said Murangi. In addition, Murangi announced that Namcol would this year award scholarships amounting to N$300,000 to learners who have performed exceptionally well.
2018-01-15 08:51:27 8 months ago