Tujoromajo Kasuto
ITAH Kandjii Murangi, the Minister of Higher Education, says the safe return of all students in Ukraine is currently the main priority for the ministry and not their admission to local universities.
“The issue of placement within local universities is something we will settle once we are assured they are all out of danger,” Kandjii asserted.
Murangi further says that they are glad for those who have arrived safely and they are also aware that there are quite a number of other students still abroad and trying to make their way home.
Meanwhile University of Namibia (UNAM) spokesperson John Haufiku said that the ministry has approached them and they are currently in consultative meetings regarding the matter of whether the university can admit students from Ukraine.
Some of these students are said to have less than 25 points for local university admission.
Regarding inquiries as to whether that would be fair to students who were rejected, Haufiku highlighted that it is too early for any comments and directives to be issued.
“As we talk, I don’t know the number of students, marks, or who or what they are studying, so it’s tough to say whether it’s fair or not.
With the request from the Home Affairs Ministry, we started the conversation with the line ministry, and no decisions have been taken yet,” he explained.
Questions addressed to the Ministry’s Executive Director and spokesperson about the specific grades of students studying in Ukraine and whether they qualify for local university entry requirements were not responded to by the time this article wa published.
On Sunday this week, about 23 students returned to the country to an emotional welcome at the Hosea Kutako International Airport.
This came after Namibian students studying in Ukraine were left in limbo, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, where the security in Ukraine is continuously and rapidly deteriorating.
However with help from neighbouring countries some students and other Namibian nationals have been able to leave Ukraine safely.
