Keetmanshoop: Vice Chancellor ( VC ) of the University of Namibia ( UNAM ), Professor Kenneth Matengu said the university has set aside N . dollars 60 million for the construction of the second phase at its Southern Campus ( SC ) building in Noordhoek . Matengu during his State of the University address here on Tuesday said the tender is expected to go out soon while the actual works are expected to start early next year . ‘ With the pace at which we are building this campus , will we finish all the phases ? and why is it that after 10 years there is only one building here ? The pace is too slow and we are asking those financing us to please make it a priority ,’ he stressed . The VC also raised a concern on the number of students admitted at the southern campus , saying out of 9079 applications received over the past five years , only 2545 were admitted as 6 534 did not meet minimum requirements . ‘ The performance in basic education is not good enough and something needs to be done . That is the reason why
there is low participation in higher education in certain sectors of the economy even green hydrogen . It is not that the region has been marginalised but it is because the number of people who qualify is low and it needs to be addressed by parents , churches and all of us . We need to encourage learners to take school seriously . The first generation of the university was to help in nation – building , now the expectation is different , we must now participate and contribute to economic growth and in the future , the third – generation university is needed to build the manufacturing capability and industrialisation of the country that is crucial because , with the discovery of oil and gas , you need to produce people that can work there ,’ Matengu stressed . UNAM Southern Campus Director , Seth Eiseb said despite its infancy the campus is destined for greater things , which is to achieve its full potential in contributing to the development of the || Kharas region , the nearby regions and Namibia at large .
‘ I believe that the southern campus is strategically located in southern Namibia , close to South Africa to carry out its potential ,’ he added . The event coincided with the 10th anniversary of the southern campus , held under the theme ‘ Celebrating 10 years of UNAM southern campus impact – building on a legacy ‘.

Source: The Namibia News Agency