By Emma Kakololo WINDHOEK Government has warned foreign “fly-by-night institutions” ruthlessly exploiting Namibians by offering foreign qualifications not accredited by it, that it would not hesitate to disband such institutions. Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy Henock Ya Kasita said this on Friday when he officiated at the Institute for Open Learning (IOL) graduation ceremony. From the total of 187 students who received their diplomas in education, 152 were women. IOL qualifications are recognised by Government. Referring to those foreign institutions whose qualifications were not recognised by Government, he said: “They made quick bucks, left the country during the night and our Namibian students were left stranded and helpless. Thank God our own statutory body, the NQA, is in place. They are the watchdogs of standards and quality assurance in the country. The days of impudent exploiters are numbered and gone forever,” he remarked. He said Namibians could now rely on credible private institutions, such as IOL and the International University of Management, which are Namibian by origin and nature. He also advised IOL students to perform well and not disappoint the institution. Ya Kasita said it was a universal fact that human resources were the most valuable asset of any country, “not material resources, not financial resources, not natural or mineral resources, but human resources, and this was amongst Government’s priority list that would ferry the country’s long-term economic plan, Vision 2030”. Therefore, he said, Government was cognisant of the role that the private sector, as the influential economic partners, was playing in assuring security, prosperity, peace, sound and healthy industrial relations, as well as harmony in the country. “No single government in the world can provide all the needs and aspirations of its ci-tizens. The supplementary function of the private sector in general and IOL in particular, in this regard, is highly commendable.” Ya Kasita urged the graduates to continue learning in order to keep abreast of new knowledge, changes in teaching techniques and approaches among others. This would also enable their learners to keep pace with latest developments in an ever-changing world of knowledge and technology.