John Muyamba
RUNDU – The University of Namibia’s Rundu Campus conferred 16 nursing degrees and nine nursing diplomas a first of its kind. Overall, about 461 young professionals received degrees and diplomas in Education, Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, Business Administration, Accounting and Nursing.
The School of Nursing came to Rundu Campus in 2016 after students were transferred from the Unam Southern Campus (Keetmanshoop) to Rundu Campus, because of practical exposure as Kavango has more cases at hospitals than in the south, for example the birth rate, population is more in the two Kavango regions than in the South per square kilometre.
“Today marks a milestone event in the lives of our graduating students, it’s an occasion for celebration, representing the culmination of your years of hard work, commitment and focus. You and your families have made sacrifices to achieve this goal, and we salute you,” said Unam chancellor Nangolo Mbumba whose statement was read on his behalf by Unam Vice Chancellor Professor Kenneth Matengu.
In the last five years the Rundu Campus academic offering menu grew as it started offering a Bachelor of Education in Lower Primary and Upper Primary, a Diploma in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Diploma in Accounting, an interjectory Diploma in Education and to the most recent addition, of a Bachelor of Nursing (Clinical).
“It is not surprising that the Campus population has more than doubled in the last five years, from 1224 in 2014 to 3150 students in 2019 – with a staggering 63 percent of this year’s student population being female,” noted Mbumba who is also the Vice President.
During the same five-year period the campus also hosted about 59 international students and made higher education accessible to 22 students from marginalised communities.
Mbumba noted that achieving a degree or diploma is a product of a collective effort.
“So it’s fitting that we come together as a community to share our pride in the achievements of the 216 ladies and 245 gentlemen who are graduating in this hall today,” said the Unam chancellor.