By:Nghiinomewa-vali Erastus
The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has announced that it will host a Student Funding and Debt Forum on the 22 April.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the student body said it will host students to discuss their challenges regarding education funding.
The Forum is themed, ‘Addressing the Student Debt and Funding Crisis and Advocating for Access to Education’.
The student body is also carrying out a survey on student debts with their preliminary results showing that from the 2,500 interviewed, 89% knew at least one person who dropped out of school due to lack of financial support and student debt.
Furthermore, their survey preliminary results show 36% of the participants have accumulated between N$10,000 to N$50,000 in student debts, while 15% have accumulated more than N$50,000.
Those who owe the University of Namibia have been handed over to debt collectors.
The Student Funding and Debt Forum is planning to offer a platform where students will come together to discuss the challenges they face in accessing funding for their education and addressing the issue of student debt.
“This is particularly important in Namibia where the cost of education is becoming increasingly unaffordable for many students,” Nanso said.
Additionally, the organisation believes it is important to address student debts and advocate for access to education as a basic human right, as it is critical to the achievement of the sustainable development goals.
Furthermore, Nanso indicated the Forum will be the first phase of the body’s legacy project aimed at fully addressing the issues of higher education funding in Namibia by 2025.
Participants can attend either physically or through online platforms. Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na
Student Funding And Debt Forum Scheduled For Saturday
