The newly elected leadership of the Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) wants free tertiary education in the next two years.

NANSO held its 18th National Student Congress over the weekend at Döbra, where it was founded.

"We are saying that our mineral resources—our oil, our gas, our fish, and our diamonds—must be able to pay for our education in this country. NANSO is saying it is time for us to have free higher education in this country. We will no longer sit quietly as numerous students are denied the right to education because of funding," said Dorthea Nangolo, the newly elected president of NANSO, while speaking to an ululating audience.

Nangolo, who leads 15 other executive members, together with stakeholders, announced several resolutions taken at the congress.

Among them is free higher education.

Nangolo said NANSO wants to see the introduction of an education levy, adding that the youth body is cognizant that the government prioritises education in its national budget, but leaving education funding to the discretion of the serving government is worrisome.

The rising rent prices, particularly in the capital, were also mentioned at the media briefing, with Nangolo saying that student accommodation is simply not affordable.

The idea of the construction of a student village was raised by the government about two years ago, and she wants to see the realisation of this dream soonest.

"The Cabinet in 2022, or rather, the government, approved the construction of a student village, and in 2022, in the national budget, there was provision for a student village. It has been two years, and where is our student village? The students are demanding that the government expedite the process of construction of the student village, and we demand that by July 2026, our students move in."

Among the 16 resolutions taken at the National Student Congress was the paying back of the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) loans. 

"We are very clear, ladies and gentlemen, we will not pay back the loans; let our natural resources pay for our education. It is an unfair burden on us as students, who are already struggling to find employment, that we must still carry the burden of student debt."