By Staff Reporter WINDHOEK Six students from the Polytechnic of Namibia recently received bursaries worth thousands of dollars from Telecom Namibia. The beneficiaries are Clemens Kashuupulwa, Cheroldine Lombard and Pedulu Abraham studying towards National Diploma in Electonics Engineering, and Eva Ashinkono and Benjamin Adams studying towards National Diploma in Information Technology, and Abuid Buchane studying towards National Diploma Business Computer. Speaking at the occasion Telecom Director, Frans Ndoroma, said awarding the bursaries demonstrates his company’s commitment to long-term training and development. “During the 2006 financial year, Telecom invested over N$10.8ÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ million towards education programmes to help out towards staff enhancement in technical, supervisory and managerial skills. The company is also taking active steps to expand its pool through recruitment and internship initiatives with local institutions of learning, especially the Polytechnic of Namibia,” he said at the ceremony. He said the programmes are in the fields of Electrician Upgrading, IP/IT Skills Development Programme, Graduate Development Programme, Management Development Programme, Study Financial Assistance Programme for Employees, Fast Tracking Apprenticeship Development Programme and External Bursaries Programme. Ndoroma also said their slogan “Sharing Your World” implies that we need to have a strategic programme of community investments intended to meet society’s expectations of the company and to secure Telecom Namibia’s licence to operate in the community. “The Bursary scheme is one such programme through which we share in the dreams of our young and help them attain their academic and professional aspirations’, he added. He continued, saying that during last year four school-leavers were awarded bursaries to study at Institutions of Higher Learning, bringing to 15 the total number of students studying with Telecom Namibia. He said bursaries are offered in the fields of Engineering, Business Computing and Information Technology, to which all new bursary recipients are from designated groups, of which 50% are women.