HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING AND STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
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We believe – in no uncertain terms – that higher education is both a private and a public good, and that money spent on tertiary education and vocational training is not merely an expenditure, but an investment into the future; of society and, most importantly, of young people. When the Government of Namibia established the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) in 1997, it recognised and re-affirmed the importance of higher education in nation-building and sustainable development.
However, at a national student debt of over 3 billion Namibia Dollars, and with pressure exerted by global economic challenges, scathing inequality and a high number of students and trainees who are unable to fund their own studies and training, Namibia’s current higher education funding model is neither fiscally (for Government) nor financially (for universities and students from middle- to low-income households) sustainable, and, thus, poses future risk of exclusion.
We believe that it is time for a resilient and sustainable higher education funding model that guarantees access and affordability, fosters inclusion and nation building and limits the personal debt of beneficiaries (many of whom are from middle- to low-income households).
In collaboration and partnership with our stakeholders – civil society partners, academia and the Government of Namibia – we are championing a study on the viability of a Higher Education Levy which would bolster the country’s fiscal ability to sustainability and affordably fund higher education in Namibia.
Some of our programmes – such as the #AccessToEducation Campaign – also support the country’s efforts in ensuring that every child who seeks an education has access to it by, for instance, providing free transportation to and from campuses and providing free-of-charge printing services.
Have some ideas on how we can #CloseTheGap and address the structural challenges that our higher education funding model presently faces?
Drop us a note here!