NSFAF increases student financial aid by 50%
Fund supports over 175 000 students in 10 years
The decision to increase monetary assistance for tertiary students was spearheaded by growing demand, with new intakes escalating from 10 600 in 2013 to 23 785 in 2024.
The higher education ministry and the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) announced a 50% increase in monetary student awards for the 2024 academic year.
Officially launched on Wednesday by minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi and NSFAF acting CEO Kennedy Kandume, the fund's budget has been increased from N$1.6 billion to N$2.5 billion. "Together with my counterpart at the finance ministry, Ipumbu Shiimi, we worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure that we solicit the necessary resources to bridge the funding gap," Kandjii-Murangi said.
The decision to increase monetary assistance for tertiary students was spearheaded by growing demand, with new intakes escalating from 10 600 in 2013 to 23 785 in 2024.
Kandjii-Murangi added that as of this year, government is extending non-tuition assistance to all qualifying and eligible students from higher education institutions as well as vocational training centres. "To be truly equitable," she said, "all students in higher education and training must be treated the same - irrespective of where they are studying."
She said all new and existing NSFAF students will receive N$10 000 non-tuition fees for upkeep. This, she said, marks a starting point in the equal treatment of students from all institutions, adding that this number will increase to N$17 000 next year.
According to Kandume, NSFAF has grown substantially over the years, highlighting that the fund has supported 176 310 students over the past decade. This reflects a N$17.5 billion investment in tertiary education, he noted.
Officially launched on Wednesday by minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi and NSFAF acting CEO Kennedy Kandume, the fund's budget has been increased from N$1.6 billion to N$2.5 billion. "Together with my counterpart at the finance ministry, Ipumbu Shiimi, we worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure that we solicit the necessary resources to bridge the funding gap," Kandjii-Murangi said.
The decision to increase monetary assistance for tertiary students was spearheaded by growing demand, with new intakes escalating from 10 600 in 2013 to 23 785 in 2024.
Kandjii-Murangi added that as of this year, government is extending non-tuition assistance to all qualifying and eligible students from higher education institutions as well as vocational training centres. "To be truly equitable," she said, "all students in higher education and training must be treated the same - irrespective of where they are studying."
She said all new and existing NSFAF students will receive N$10 000 non-tuition fees for upkeep. This, she said, marks a starting point in the equal treatment of students from all institutions, adding that this number will increase to N$17 000 next year.
According to Kandume, NSFAF has grown substantially over the years, highlighting that the fund has supported 176 310 students over the past decade. This reflects a N$17.5 billion investment in tertiary education, he noted.
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