The students, majoring in engineering and medicine, face expulsion from their universities following the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF)’s decision not to pay for their flights back home for internships.
The students also fear that they might be contravening Russian laws by overstaying since they are expected to leave the country by 10 July.
The Namibia National Student Organisation (Nanso) secretary for tertiary and vocational education, Trives Ndjiva, yesterday said they were concerned for the safety of the students.
“We will do whatever we can to ensure that these students return home safely,” he said, adding that they were planning to get in touch with the students and inquire from NSFAF what the situation is.
Nanso’s Khomas regional chairperson Dimbulukeni Nauyoma said the decision by NSFAF to notify students at the last minute about the decision was unprofessional and that the students should have been consulted in advance.
He also said the Minister of Education David Namwandi’s decision to distance himself from the situation by stating that he does not want to interfere in matters between NSFAF and the students is counter-productive.
“If NSFAF is not in a position to assist the students financially then the line ministry should be able to step in and provide the required funds.
“At the moment, both our engineering and medical fields are facing a skills shortage and these students will fill the gap that exists in these fields. It is expected that once they graduate, they would be working in the public sector since they are being funded by government,” he said.
Nauyoma also called on mining companies to come on board and assist the engineering students and the Ministry of Health and Social Services to support those studying medicine.
Meanwhile, the students have accused NSFAF of incompetency for not prioritising their internship programme.
“Every year, we complain about the management at the Fund but nothing is ever done,” said one of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Namibian is also informed that the number of affected students might be more than 100.
The students said they were not buying into NSFAF’s excuse of not having the financial means to buy their return-tickets.
“If they claim not to have the funds now, where does the money they use to travel here for inquiries on student life come from?” they asked.
Medical students further said they were not allowed to do practical lessons, including touching patients as part of their training at the Russian medical institutions.
“When we go home, we know nothing. It is not fair because we are being disadvantaged and it is human lives we will be responsible for,” said one of the students.
NSFAF’s spokesperson Percy Tjahere declined to comment, saying he was busy drafting an explanation to Namwandi about the situation.
“Write whatever you want,” he said.