By Hoandi !Gaeb

KEETMANSHOOP- The Namibian National Students Organisation (NANSO) remains relevant and responsive to the needs of all learners and students, thirty years after it was founded.

New Era approached NANSO leadership to find out about the organisations post independence activities, its relevance and its responsibilities towards students. Many critics believe the organisation is inactive and has no role to play.

NANSO secretary general, Sharonice Davinnia Busch, responded by saying her organisation realises the need for students to get actively involved in the affairs of the running of the various institutions of learning in Namibia.

NANSO is determined to promote and provide  equal opportunities for all students at various institutions in the country regardless of their nationality, ethnic origin, gender, political affiliation social and economic status.

“We are aware that an organised national student movement is necessary to ensure unity of purpose and action, as we are the drivers and custodians of student politics in Namibia.

Busch said great leadership is about human experiences. It is not a formulae or a programme, but a human activity. “Yes, it is true that the organisation went through an institutional metamorphosis as does every organisation. However, what is important is the ability by leaders to redefine NANSO’s relevance in the Namibian society and to ensure it remains progressive in addressing the development agenda of the country.

The youth leader said NANSO as a partner in education will remain relevant.

“With an education system still unable to address the vast inequalities in the society, our role on national and policy level is to ensure that education becomes responsive,” she said.

With reference to the forthcoming elections and the organisations role, Busch said NANSO as a student organisation, will pronounce itself on the elections and such decisions will be made in line with the best interest of the organisation.

On achievements in post-independent Namibia, she said NANSO has identified relevant and responsive education as the greatest equaliser to the country’s socio-economic challenges.

“We are on record calling for free quality education and that is evident in the recent introduction of free basic education and the announcement of the free secondary education.

Founding member of NANSO, George Mayumbelo, stressed NANSO is relevant and remains active in the present political dispensation.

“Although the political landscape has changed since independence and the present government is in support of the quest to quality education and the organisation remains relevant,” he said when asked about its current role.

He said some of the objectives of the organisation for which it was established in 1984 are still relevant.

One of the founding aims of NANSO was to unify the students regardless of ethnic or race and the other one was also to get to students to selflessly serve their country and society at large.

The other objective was  to provide quality leadership by leading the students and also producing future political and corporate leaders.

“The only problem in this country to provide quality education, is the lack of financial resources. That problem must be addressed and dealt with as speedily as possible,” he said.

He called on all former NANSO members with decent jobs and those in business to support the student organisation and he said if for instance 1000 former members each contributed N$1000 annually that will translate into N$1 million.

Mayumbelo serves as patron of NANSO in the Zambezi region and is the founding secretary for information and publicity of the organisation in 1984 before being elected vice president in 1985.