Council members serving on local public universities should at least possess a minimum master’s degree qualification, information minister Peya Mushelenga proposed in the National Assembly last week. Mushelenga recommended to the minister of higher education, Itah Kandii-Murangi, that the acts governing tertiary institutions should be revisited to provide for appropriate requirements for membership to the councils of the two public institutions. 

“Save for representatives of the Students Representative Council; it is my considered view that to give effect to the essence of innovation, science and research, council members should be required to have a minimum qualification of a master’s degree plus four academic publications, of which two should be from peer-reviewed journals,” he recommended. Mushelenga, who was contributing to the debate on the national budget, referred to the Covid-19 pandemic, which he said has brought to reality the cardinal importance of innovation. He focused his thoughts at the University of Namibia (Unam)’s Multi-disciplinary Research Centre and Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) Innovation and Design Lab as catalysts for innovation, science and technology. 

The information minister said he supported the budget allocation of N$900.2 million to Unam and N$309 million to Nust for the current financial year. He submitted that the governance of these institutions of higher learning should speak to their core business and research. 
Mushelenga also added innovation and research are central to the ministry of health in confronting the scourge of Covid-19. “They are further central to communications to create awareness in our community. Innovation is central to devising and designing alternative economic activities and industries that are needed to sustain the economy during this intricate period,” he said.  
– anakale@nepc.com.na