The University of Namibia has softened its stance on admission requirements to provisionally accept the new Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate grade 11 students, following in the footsteps of the Namibia University of Science and Technology and the International University of Management.
Although NUST and IUM have never diverted from accepting grade 11s, both institutions yesterday once again confirmed that the grade 11 matriculants are eligible to apply for admission. Since 2021, Unam has been reluctant to admit learners exiting the school at grade 11 through the new NSSCO curriculum, which was implemented in 2020. This is because, at the time, the university believed that the legacy programmes do not adequately prepare learners for university studies. Unam spokesperson John Haufiku said in an interview yesterday that pupils who exit with level three qualifications from basic education may have access to limited courses at Unam, based on the individual school requirements.
“The university will admit grade 11 learners into diploma programmes, if they meet the admission requirements, considering that NSSCO is
registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a level three qualification, and diplomas are registered on level four. Degree programmes are pitched at level five on the NQF, and subsequently require a level four qualification,” he explained.
For diplomas, and considering the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) registration of NSSCO on the NQF as a level three qualification, Haufiku said Unam will accept learners into diploma programmes with NSSCO and admission criteria aligned to that of the grade 12 legacy. Equally, it is important to emphasise that the university admission criteria did not change, but was aligned to the new school curricula.
The admission criteria for 2022 for the 2023 academic year might change in view of new curriculum transformation at the university,” he noted. Unam’s general requirement for undergraduate degree programmes, grade 12 legacy (NSSCO/H), is 25 points in five subjects, including a C or above in English as a compulsory subject. Alternatively, 27 points in five subjects, including a D or above in English as a compulsory subject.
Advanced Subsidiary (AS) candidates need 25 points in five subjects, including a C in English as a compulsory subject, with at least two subjects at AS level (minimum grade E). Furthermore, students must satisfy faculty-specific requirements stated in the admission requirements of the relevant programmes. IUM spokesperson Gerry Munyama said although IUM is a private institution, it does not operate in isolation.
“IUM shall toe the line, and will not discriminate against grade 11s. To us, grade 12s and grade 11s are cooked in the same pot. We are guarded by the Namibian laws to transform deficiencies in the Namibian education system with the aim to develop an appropriate remedial action plan,” he stated. NUST spokesperson Nico Smit maintained the university considers NSSCO (legacy and new) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) certificate holders, provided they meet the university entry requirements for the specific fields of study.
–anakale@nepc.com.na