Tertius Stears, Group CEO of Sanlam Namibia Holdings said this week that investment in education is essential for the development of any society. Education is one of the most important catalysts and is a key to the development of any country, Stears said during a bursary handover by Sanlam to students at the Polytechnic of Namibia.

Left to right: Minister of Education Nangolo Mbumba (fourth from the left), with students and staff from the Polytechnic of Namibia, as well as staff from Sanlam Namibia during a bursary handover.

“As a people yearning to live in a country with less poverty, hunger and disease, greater survival prospects for mothers and their infants, better educated children, equal opportunities for women, and a healthier environment, we Namibians developed Vision 2030 with the main vision of creating a prosperous and industrialized Namibia, developed by her human resources, enjoying peace, harmony and political stability. In order to develop the human resources that is necessary to transform our country, everyone should play a role,” he said.
In 2002, a reward-based bursary scheme was introduced, to motivate, encourage and reward those students who despite lacking financial assistance and working under very difficult financial circumstances, worked hard to achieve good academic results. In conjunction with the Polytechnic of Namibia, each year students who perform very well and lack financial assistance are singled out, interviewed and awarded bursaries.
Since 2002 Sanlam Namibia has awarded 22 students, who have showed excellence in their respective fields of studies, with bursaries to pursue studies in the fields of accounting and finance, business administration, information technology, marketing and communication studies.