Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Itah Kandjii-Murangi has advised the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Council to confine itself to the outcomes of the institution’s vice-chancellor selection interviews as pre-determined. In a letter addressed to NUST council chairperson, Florette Nakusera on Friday, Kandjii-Murangi said it was alleged that the appointment made was in “total disregard of the various assessment outcomes”. “I am writing to bring to your attention the allegations that NUST’s council opted for elections in the identification of a candidate for a possible appointment as the vice-chancellor,” she wrote. Kandjii-Murangi pointed out that the said allegations if true, are totally out of line and at odds with the principles of good governance. The letter follows the appointment of Dr Erold Naomab as NUST’s vice-chancellor during a council meeting held on 12 November 2020. The selection process involved four aspects that were considered for the final decision on the successful candidate to be appointed. As per the NUST recruitment process, the quantitative scoring was to be done on closed-door interviews and public presentations which weighed 70% and 30% respectively. The quantitative scores were supplemented by qualitative information from background checks and psychometric tests. During a press conference on Friday, Nakusera stated that apart from the four aspects the process also involved a supplementary discussion. “Council and the Joint Search Committee of Council and Senate have discussed and looked at the type of leader we were looking for, issues currently faced by NUST, which of these two candidates fits the criteria and the type of person we are looking for in the council and as vice-chancellor. That is the formal process that we went through having considered all four factors,” Nakusera explained. Nakusera added that due to a difference in opinion, a vote was called upon where nine out of 14 council members voted in support of the appointed candidate. “The call was made because not everybody on the table wanted or had agreed to the appointment of Dr Naomab,” she said. -NAMPA