NUST students demand 30% hostel fee slash

Students living in Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) hostels are demanding a 30% reduction in accommodation and meal fees until what they describe as long-standing issues with deteriorating services are resolved.The demand, outlined in a joint petition from the Student Representative Council (SRC), Housing Committee (HC) and Academic Committee (AC), was addressed to vice-chancellor Erold Naomab in a letter dated 12 August.According to the petitioners, a fee reduction would ease the financial burden on students while giving management time to implement lasting solutions.The most immediate concern, students say, is internet connectivity.The lack of stable Wi-Fi has severely disrupted their studies, particularly for those who rely on online resources and research tools. To address this, the Housing Committee has tested hostel ethernet ports and proposed that management purchase and install standard routers and cables to make them functional.“This would provide functional internet access to students while longer-term infrastructure projects or ‘million-dollar ideas’ are being developed,” the petition reads. “Such a solution is cost-effective, quick to implement, and would greatly alleviate the current academic disruptions caused by the lack of connectivity.”In addition, students reiterated their demand for pocket Wi-Fi devices to be reintroduced for all students. They said this had previously been discussed with the chief operating officer but never implemented.Academic and administrative challengesBeyond internet access, the petition highlights a series of academic grievances. Students are calling for international learners to be treated fairly in the allocation of tutoring initiatives, saying they are often excluded from opportunities available to local students.The petition also raises concerns about the exam timetable, calling for a review to prevent overcrowded schedules that make it difficult to prepare adequately. Timetable clashes, particularly for first-year students, remain a persistent problem according to students, with some unable to attend all of their scheduled classes.Financial challenges were also highlighted. According to the petition, NUST students pay some of the highest registration fees in the country, yet they say they have seen little improvement in services. Undergraduate students are charged N$4 500 per semester, totalling N$9 000 annually, while postgraduate students pay double that. “Each semester, those who cannot pay are blocked from registering, directly delaying their studies,” the petition reads. “We have no clarity about where this money goes. The SRC, which should be funded from these fees, is not even informed of its operational budget.”Students also complained about high tuition costs, with some modules reportedly priced at over N$10 000, despite what students describe as outdated facilities.The petition notes that computer labs, projectors and printers are inadequate at both the main and regional centres, compromising the quality of teaching and learning.For mechanical engineering students, the shortage of fully equipped workshops and laboratories is a particular concern. Where facilities are inadequate, the students propose a 50% reduction in fees for practical modules, arguing that students should not be expected to pay full price for substandard training.Wider discontentThe petition further accuses the university of making curriculum changes without properly informing students. Students claim that in some instances, where programmes are being phased out, they are forced to repeat modules they have already completed, extending their time at the institution without any exemption.“Specific cases in the bachelor of economics programme prove the extent of the dysfunction,” the petition states.The SRC also reminded management of promises made in March this year, during a meeting with the COO, to improve academic resources, upgrade hostel conditions and resolve pressing welfare issues. “Since then, months have passed without any meaningful progress,” the students wrote. “We are now in the second semester, and the same battles are still being fought.”For hostel residents, the situation is described as unsafe, undignified and unfit for a university that claims to support academic and personal development. Students lamented that repeated emails, meetings and negotiations have yielded no results, forcing them to escalate their demands.Warning of escalationIf management fails to respond meaningfully, the student leadership has warned of coordinated action. This could include a press conference, public mobilisation of the student body, collaboration with allied student organisations and, ultimately, demonstrations or a shutdown of all campuses and hostels.“These actions are not intended to destabilise the academic environment or the good image of the university,” the petition clarifies. “Rather, they are a necessary response to a structural failure that continuously places students at the mercy of institutional timelines, without consultation or fairness. We are not calling for disruption. We are calling for accountability.”The students have given management until 12:15 today to respond with a written acknowledgement and a plan of action. If no response is forthcoming, they say they will proceed with protest measures.NUST respondsIn response, NUST spokesperson Cindy-Lee van Wyk confirmed that the petition had been received and was being reviewed by management.“We have received the petition from student leadership and are giving it the attention it deserves,” she told Namibian Sun on Monday. “A date has already been set for an engagement between management and student leadership to discuss the issues in detail.”

NUST students demand 30% hostel fee slash

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-19

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NUST students demand 30% hostel fee slash

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-19

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