The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) is asking state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to help pay off money owed to it by their employees.

This call was made by NSFAF's Company Secretary, Fillemon Immanuel, at the Chief Executive Officers and senior management engagement from 57 SOE's.

Immanuel says the intervention is geared towards the recovery of the N$12,5 billion owed to the Fund by over 130,000 former beneficiaries.

Immanuel explains why SOEs should come on board.

"You are creating a sustainable relationship between yourself and your employee, but you are also preventing your employee from paying more and reducing the debt stress your employees are facing at the workplace.  I can tell you that a debt-bothered employee will actually spend about two to three hours thinking about how they are going to repay their NASFAF debt, amongst other debts."

Immanuel implored the employers to identify debtors and put in place internal arrangements that will allow beneficiaries to pay their dues and benefit students in need.

"The employees that you have in your institutions, NASFAF, have enabled them to be where they are. None of you can stand up and say that I don't have an employee of mine who has benefited from the student fund. We are the enablers of human capital in this country."

The fund's 2024 budget stands at N$2.4 billion and is sponsoring about 23,785 new students.

Students also receive non - tuition fees for their upkeep.