Unam aims for financial independence
The University of Namibia is to focus on generating more money in order to become less reliant on government funding.
The University of Namibia (Unam) Council has resolved that the institution must develop its own strategies to generate additional income instead of depending on the national budget.
This is according to the chairperson of the Unam Council, Sam Shivute, who issued a statement in response to a Namibian Sun article dated 15 February in which Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula harshly criticised the government for cutting the university's budget by up to 40%.
Shivute said the government currently funded 80% of the Unam budget.
“The Council of the University of Namibia has resolved that the institution must develop measures and strategies to generate additional income to alleviate the burden and dependency on the national budget,” Shivute said.
“The university enjoys a good relationship with the government. Furthermore, the university remains appreciative and grateful to the government for its continued support and funding towards the university's endeavours. In this regard, we are grateful that government directly funds more than 80 percent of the Unam budget.”
In last week's publication Hangula stated that the budget cuts imposed by the central government would greatly affect the institution's mandate to contribute towards the attainment of national goals.
Hangula said three years ago, when Unam had a student population of 21 000, it received N$1.1 billion to upgrade its infrastructure. He compared that to the N$600 million received for the current financial year, when the student population stands at 24 000.
However, Shivute said the reported amount of N$600 million was not correct because the minister of finance had not tabled the 2017/2018 budget yet.
“At this point, the minister of finance has not yet tabled the national budget containing the final budget ceilings for the next MTEF period 2017/18 to 2019/20. As such, it is therefore not factual to conclude that Unam has been allocated N$600 million for the upcoming financial year 2017/18,” Shivute said.
“The budget preparation process and engagements are still ongoing and the final funding allocation to Unam will only be confirmed once the national budget is tabled in parliament during March 2017,” Shivute said.
He said last year the Unam Council discussed the university's financial challenges with the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Prime Minister.
All the political leaders consulted were sympathetic to the challenges facing the university, he said. The Ministry of Finance made the necessary arrangements for Unam to secure the required N$391 million funding from financial institutions to cover for the budget shortfall of the 2016/2017 financial year.
Shivute said the N$391 million was in addition to the direct budgetary allocation of more than N$900 million for that financial year.
“With regard to the national budget cuts and continued calls to cut expenditure within the institution, I would like to highlight that that the downturn in the economy has not only affected Unam, but other institutions and branches of government as well,” he said.
“The fiscal consolidation exercise, will at a minimum cause some pain to various sectors of the economy and the higher education sector is not an exception,” he added.
KENYA KAMBOWE
This is according to the chairperson of the Unam Council, Sam Shivute, who issued a statement in response to a Namibian Sun article dated 15 February in which Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula harshly criticised the government for cutting the university's budget by up to 40%.
Shivute said the government currently funded 80% of the Unam budget.
“The Council of the University of Namibia has resolved that the institution must develop measures and strategies to generate additional income to alleviate the burden and dependency on the national budget,” Shivute said.
“The university enjoys a good relationship with the government. Furthermore, the university remains appreciative and grateful to the government for its continued support and funding towards the university's endeavours. In this regard, we are grateful that government directly funds more than 80 percent of the Unam budget.”
In last week's publication Hangula stated that the budget cuts imposed by the central government would greatly affect the institution's mandate to contribute towards the attainment of national goals.
Hangula said three years ago, when Unam had a student population of 21 000, it received N$1.1 billion to upgrade its infrastructure. He compared that to the N$600 million received for the current financial year, when the student population stands at 24 000.
However, Shivute said the reported amount of N$600 million was not correct because the minister of finance had not tabled the 2017/2018 budget yet.
“At this point, the minister of finance has not yet tabled the national budget containing the final budget ceilings for the next MTEF period 2017/18 to 2019/20. As such, it is therefore not factual to conclude that Unam has been allocated N$600 million for the upcoming financial year 2017/18,” Shivute said.
“The budget preparation process and engagements are still ongoing and the final funding allocation to Unam will only be confirmed once the national budget is tabled in parliament during March 2017,” Shivute said.
He said last year the Unam Council discussed the university's financial challenges with the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Prime Minister.
All the political leaders consulted were sympathetic to the challenges facing the university, he said. The Ministry of Finance made the necessary arrangements for Unam to secure the required N$391 million funding from financial institutions to cover for the budget shortfall of the 2016/2017 financial year.
Shivute said the N$391 million was in addition to the direct budgetary allocation of more than N$900 million for that financial year.
“With regard to the national budget cuts and continued calls to cut expenditure within the institution, I would like to highlight that that the downturn in the economy has not only affected Unam, but other institutions and branches of government as well,” he said.
“The fiscal consolidation exercise, will at a minimum cause some pain to various sectors of the economy and the higher education sector is not an exception,” he added.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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