Mallex Shipanga
UNAM has introduced flexible payment options to assist students who face financial difficulties during registration.
The new measures were announced in a notice issued on 10 February.
Under the new arrangement, students can register with reduced upfront payments.
The minimum amount required for registration has been lowered from N$2 975 to N$1 500.
For those unable to afford even the reduced amount, UNAM has introduced a N$0 upfront payment option.
Students benefiting from these flexible payment options must sign a payment agreement, which outlines the terms for settling their outstanding balance by the end of November.
Those who fail to meet the terms of their agreement risk deregistration at the end of the first semester.
The payment plan applies only to tuition fees and does not cover hostel accommodation.
UNAM’s public relations officer, Simon Namesho, explained the university’s decision to introduce flexible payment options.
“The University of Namibia has introduced flexible payment options to ensure that financial difficulties do not become a barrier to education. This decision is based on data indicating that approximately 17% of returning students have yet to register for the 2025 academic year. An internal inquiry revealed that around 4,500 senior students had not yet registered,” he said.
Namesho said that the main causes were financial constraints and loss of sponsorship.
He said while concerns about affordability were raised by students and stakeholders, the decision was primarily driven by ”UNAM’s commitment to student success and retention”.
“The university continuously monitors enrolment data and student registration patterns to identify challenges that may prevent students from continuing their studies. The introduction of flexible payment options is a proactive response to ensure that students who genuinely wish to study are given the opportunity to register and complete their education,” he said.
The president of the Student Union of Namibia (SUN), Shikesho Natangwe, acknowledged UNAM’s decision but criticised the institution for acting only after sustained student pressure.
“For too long, students have been pleading for reasonable payment options, yet UNAM only responds when pressure is applied. This ignorance and failure to treat urgent issues with urgency have crushed the dreams of many who wished to study at their institution of choice. The university’s leadership must take accountability and prioritise student welfare instead of treating financial accessibility as an afterthought,” he said.
“While we welcome the reduced upfront payment and the zero-payment registration option, we remain deeply concerned about the conditions imposed. The threat of deregistration at the end of the first semester, if students fail to meet their payment agreements, is nothing more than a disguised form of exclusion. UNAM must stop creating half-baked solutions that still leave vulnerable students at risk,” he said.
He further demanded that flexible payment arrangements be extended to cover hostel accommodation.
“SUN demands that these flexible arrangements be extended beyond tuition fees to include hostel accommodation. It is unacceptable for students to be granted access to education but left struggling with basic necessities like shelter. The financial crisis students face affects their entire academic journey, and UNAM cannot continue ignoring this reality,” he said.
Natangwe assured students that SUN would continue advocating for more comprehensive financial relief.
”SUN will not back down until every student, regardless of their financial background, has the opportunity to access higher education without unnecessary obstacles created by institutional negligence,” he said.
