NQA interim council appointed

Higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi has appointed a seven-member interim council for the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) effective 5 December 2020. The seventh council’s tenure ended on 4 December 2020.

University of Namibia (Unam)’s Rundu campus assistant pro-vice chancellor Gilbert Likando has been appointed as chairperson and is deputised by Anicia Peters, Unam’s pro-vice chancellor of research, innovation and development. The council is constituted of previous members primarily from the executive committee and will serve for six months ending on 4 June 2021.

NQA CEO Franz Gertze, who yesterday confirmed the interim appointment, said in addition to providing strategic direction to the organisation, the acting council will also be required to facilitate the appointment of the eighth council for the NQA.

Gertze stated it is expected that the council composition will reduce significantly from the current 55 which is made up of 33 substantive and 22 alternate members.

He said the composition of the council reflects a mix of members representing various stakeholder groups, including workers’ unions, education, and the financial sectors, amongst others. “The NQA remains committed to maintaining good corporate governance, ethical leadership, and accountability,” he noted.

The new council members are Likando (chairperson), Peters (vice-chairperson), Gertze (ex officio), Lilia Shaningwa, Beverley Skrywer, Samuel John, Severin Tame, Alfred Tjihambuma and Deseree Cloete.

The NQA is governed by a council of 36 members who are appointed by and report to the minister of higher education.

Representation on council reflects the valuable contribution of the social partners to education and training, with the council members including esteemed persons from government ministries and agencies with responsibilities for planning, youth, women’s affairs, labour market, general, basic, vocational and higher education, the public higher education institutions, professional associations, employer groups, private economic sector groups, and groups representing the differently-abled.

The council is appointed for a term of three years.

NQA council has several committees to assist it to fulfil its legislative responsibilities. These are strategic; risk and audit; accreditation; assessment and audit; qualifications; human resources; finance, and the committee members may include non-members.