Maria David
THE construction of new hostel blocks on the Jose Eduardo Dos Santos Campus not only stands to benefit Namibia but will also benefit students from the SADC region and beyond.
University of Namibia (UNAM) Chancellor Nangolo Mbumba, made the remarks whilst officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony of new hostel blocks in Ongwediva on Tuesday.
Mbumba stated that 30% of the students enrolled at the campus are students from the SADC region and beyond and many such international students stand to benefit greatly from the provision of adequate student hostels. He added that Namibian students on the campus represent all 14 regions.
“The German government saw it fit to support the construction of new blocks of hostels to ensure adequate accommodation for the increasing number of students on the campus,” he said.
Mbumba revealed that the German financial and technical cooperation with the UNAM Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology has been ongoing since 2010 and continues to have a significant impact on the education and training of the engineers.
Speaking on the same occasion, Ambassador of Germany to Namibia Herbert Beck, said engineers play a critical role when it comes to the development of the country in order to become industrialised.
Beck stated that adequate social infrastructure like hostels is a prerequisite for the UNAM-campus to rise to its full potential and cater for a student life that provides not only excellent study but also good living conditions.
The two additional student hostels will be accommodating up to 192 students.
“Since 2012, Germany has provided significant support via our financial and technical cooperation for the construction and establishment of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNAM’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology,” he said.
Beck noted that German development bank KfW provided a grant of about N$ 150 million for the construction of the German Wing and additional technical support was given for the establishment of the new faculty was provided via the GIZ Transport-Program for the equipment of laboratories and development of teaching capacities, with the latter as probable the most critical success factor of higher education.
He said to address the needs for proper accommodation for the rising numbers of students, they again in 2016 avail about N$ 90 million for the construction of student hostels.
Meanwhile, Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari, said it brings ease to the educators knowing that students can focus on their education without having to worry about shelter.
Irimari noted that government will continue to put education as one of its key priority sectors as education is the key to the development of human resources, which is the basis for socio-economic development.
“The government of Germany through our profound history of cooperation continues to support us in improving our education standard and strengthening our education infrastructure capacity,” he said.
Established in 2009 with only 42 students and one hostel block that accommodate about 126 students, the University has been increasing its enrolment number to 500.
