Minister of higher education, training and innovation Itah Kandjii-Murangi says institutions of higher learning are still facing challenges accommodating school leavers.
She was addressing the Conference of rectors, vice chancellors, and presidents of African universities, in Windhoek yesterday.
According to a report by the National Council for Higher Education, enrollment figures in Namibia reached 68 932 in 2021.
“Despite the significant increase in student numbers, higher education institutions in Namibia face numerous challenges regarding access. Not all aspiring students who seek admission to institutions of higher learning are admitted due to space limitations and limited student funding,” said Kandjii-Murangi.
She noted that Namibia has three public institutions of higher learning and 16 registered private institutions of higher learning.
Kandjii-Murangi highlighted the disparities in academic achievement between female and male students.
“Since attaining independence, more female students have been graduating in most disciplines nationally,” she said.
The latest data from 2021 indicates that out of 10 108 graduates, 7 212 were female students, while 2 816 were male students, representing approximately 71% and 29%, respectively.
“Investment in education, including higher education, has been a priority for the Namibian government since independence in 1990,” she said.
The higher education minister noted that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture received an allocation of N$16,8 billion, while N$3,8 billion was allocated to higher education in the 2023/24 national budget.
During the same event, University of Namibia vice chancellor Kenneth Matengu addressed the issue of research productivity in Africa when compared to other continents.
Matengu said research productivity on other continents is significantly higher than in Africa.
“One reason is the lack of access to electricity, which hampers reading and preparation. Access to electricity in African homes is weak,” Matengu said.
African students are further only able to study when they are physically present in educational institutions, unlike students in other regions who have the ability to study at home, he said.
Another challenge was the relatively shorter number of hours African pupils spend in school compared to other places, where the hours can range from 08h00 to 17h00.
Also present at the conference was the president of the Association of African Universities, Saeed Bakri Osman, who emphasised the importance of key stakeholders in African higher education coming together to discuss sector-related issues.
“I believe the conference provides a unique opportunity for such deliberations.
Themed ‘Advancing Excellence in African Higher Education,’ the 2023 conference will focus specifically on excellence and successful initiatives and outcomes in African higher education, highlighting key enabling elements within sub-themes such as doctoral education, institutional differentiation, university-industry linkages, and funding and financing.
The conference is a gathering of top leaders in African universities, focusing on and fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and addressing critical issues in higher education across the continent. The conference continues until Friday.
Leave a Reply