Martin Endjala
Last week, the Bank of Namibia (BoN) awarded bursaries to 12 academically outstanding students from the 2023 academic year.
These bursaries will support the recipients in pursuing tertiary education in various fields at institutions within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The awarded fields of study include Accounting, Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Computer and Data Science, Economics, Cyber Security, and Industrial Engineering, covering both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
This initiative by BoN is part of its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), aiming to address the evolving demands of the global workforce and skill sets.
BoN has a long-standing tradition of fostering socio-economic development and educational opportunities, having supported CSR initiatives for over two decades.
The bank’s bursary program aligns with its operational focus and the country’s key economic objectives, providing not only financial assistance to students but also guiding them towards meaningful future employment.
Johannes !Gawaxab, the Governor of BoN, emphasized the importance of this initiative in addressing skill development challenges.
“For over two decades, the Bank has invested in the future by awarding bursaries to outstanding students, contributing to robust human capacity development in Namibia. These bursaries are more than financial support; they represent confidence in the recipients’ abilities,” he said.
The selection process for these bursaries was rigorous, involving interviews with shortlisted candidates from a pool of 713 applicants.
The final selection included 11 undergraduate and one postgraduate students. !Gawaxab highlighted that this success reflects BoN’s commitment to ensuring Namibian students are not hindered by financial constraints, allowing them to contribute to the country’s socio-economic vision.
To date, BoN has granted 199 bursaries since the inception of the program, with 32 current bursary holders in local and SADC higher education institutions for 2024.
The bursary scheme covers tuition fees, textbooks, transportation, accommodation, living expenses, and return transport for students studying abroad.
!Gawaxab BoN stated that the BoN will remain dedicated to fostering the development of competent individuals who will drive Namibia’s economy forward and achieve the country’s developmental goals.
