Africa-Press – Namibia. Adolf Kaure
The Students Union of Namibia (SUN) recently honoured former Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) acting CEO, Kennedy Kandume, with an Award of Excellence for meritorious leadership in advancing student opportunities in Windhoek.
Kandume served as NSFAF’s acting CEO for eight years until his departure last month.
NSFAF has since been reintegrated into the education ministry as a department.
In his remarks during the conferment, the SUN board chairperson, Benhard Kavau, expressed profound appreciation for Kandume’s transformative leadership, which repositioned NSFAF into a more inclusive, student-centred institution.
He notably acknowledged the expansion of financial support beyond tuition to encompass broader student needs: the equitable extension of non-tuition funding to students across both public and private institutions – transcending its earlier limited scope to institutions such as the University of Namibia, International University of Management, and Namibia University of Science and Technology.
Additionally, he played an instrumental role in the procurement and distribution of laptops for students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the recognition was attributed to him for his role in advancing subsidised funding mechanisms accessible to students nationwide.
“Take your flowers while you are still alive; though we may not bestow gold upon you, we offer you the highest form of recognition and gratitude,” Kavau said.
On his part, the soft-spoken Kandume accepted the award and profoundly acknowledged the indispensable contributions of his former NSFAF colleagues, whose collective diligence
and unwavering commitment ensured
that the voices and aspirations of students were not only heard but decisively acted upon.
Kandume ascribed the attainment of subsidised tertiary education to the visionary and transformative leadership of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“Her steadfast dedication to educational equity and national advancement has markedly broadened access to tertiary opportunities for students across Namibia,” he said.
Kandume is currently the pro vice-chancellor for finance and administration at Welwitschia University.
Meanwhile, SUN was founded in 2019 as the only independent, student-centred and non-political student movement in Namibia. The union’s mandate is to advocate for the students’ rights, interests and aspirations.
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