Members of Parliament have voiced their concerns regarding unaccredited institutions, discrimination in NSFAF funding, and unnecessary nursing evaluation tests.
They were contributing to a motion presented by PDM MP Winnie Moongo last week, where she stated that there were an increasing number of unaccredited nursing schools and health training centres in the country.
Hengari stressed that young Namibians who are desperate for education invest huge sums of money in institutions that do not offer qualifications.
"We want access to education, but at what cost? When somebody receives an education after six years, paying N$16,000 during that duration or N$25,000, spending so much money and so much time that they would have ordinarily if they had the chance to spend it in another institution to get or an institution that is actually accredited and can offer them a qualification."
Education Deputy Minister Dino Balotti said the ministry will not be lenient on unaccredited institutions.
"We have a task team that will go and close down those institutions that are not accredited by the NCHE. So, if you are aware of such institutions, please do inform the ministry because we do not permit or do not grant or allow institutions to operate in that manner."
AR Leader Job Amupanda stated that shutting down unaccredited institutions may not be easy.
"You have to go in and say you cannot offer a Bachelor's in Nursing because it's not accredited. But the Diploma in Nursing Science may be accredited and registered on the framework. That's how complex it becomes."
NUDO MP Vetaruhe Kandorozu criticised the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund for allegedly discriminating against students based on entry points and driving them to unaccredited institutions.
"Why are they discriminating? Because if this course is accredited by NQA for whatever institution, why is NSFAF discriminating in terms of points? The course, the diploma itself are accredited. But then you are saying, I'm only going to finance the one with 25 points and not below that."
Evaluation of nursing graduate exams also attracted criticisms from MPs, such as Swapo Party's Willem Amutenya.
"There's no need for the evaluation exams before they register with the health council and for them to get employment. It's delaying our young people from getting into the job market because they can't, at times, even pass these evaluation exams. Some cannot even afford to pay the evaluation exam fees."
Health Minister Esperance Luvindao acknowledged the injection of 2,304 nursing graduates into the system last year and stated that the issue should not only be about affordability.
"I am not stating that we don't need training institutions. It is merely stating that training institutions must be of a certain standard in order to ensure that they meet the needs of the people of Namibia."