Open letter to Prime Minister Nahas Angula

Dear Hon Nahas Angula,
We, the students of the Polytechnic of Namibia, would like to express our heartfelt gratitude towards your attendance at the 17th graduation ceremony of the institution on Friday, 27 April 2012 at the Safari Court Hotel.
Not only did you shake over a thousand of students’ hands, but you also recognised the contribution, the graduates are going to make to the Namibian economy and the development of this beautiful country.
This, however, begs the question as to why we are still facing an identity crisis? Hon Dr. Abraham Iyambo, the Minister of Education, undoubtedly pointed out at last year’s graduation ceremony that by June 2012, the PoN would be known as the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST).
In addition to our academic identity crisis, we are now directly affected by a financial dilemna, too. We are the same students you were so happy to see graduating over a week ago. We are the same students, you encouraged to further our tertiary education.
Here we are now, probably unable to continue soon; considering the recent cut in the budget of our institution and the baring consequences, which imply that at some stage we won’t be able to afford the tuition fees any more.
If government does not continue to provide due support to the Polytechnic of Namibia, this will be viewed in direct contradiction with Namibia’s Development Plan, which requires more professionals and knowledge creation in the field of Science and Technology; our institution’s focus.
Has there been some sort of public forum at which students were directly consulted on issues such as the name change, financial alterations etc.?
We, the students of the Polytechnic of Namibia request a platform where we can freely discuss our views and voice our concerns regarding decisions affecting our future and the overall future of this country.
Kind Regards.
Alarmed PoN students