Windhoek: The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) on Thursday inaugurated its head office in honor of its late founding chairperson Zedekia Ngavirue, coinciding with the council's 20th anniversary celebrations.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Ngavirue, who served as the organization's first chairperson, led two councils from 2005 to 2013 and played a significant role in establishing the council as Namibia's national coordinating and quality assurance body for higher education. He passed away in June 2021.

Speaking at the event, Vice President Lucia Witbooi reflected on Ngavirue's achievements and contributions to the growth of the institute and national development. Witbooi expressed gratitude to the Ngavirue family, acknowledging his vision in shaping Namibia's higher education governance framework.

The Vice President further urged the current council to build upon the national vision and Ngavirue's legacy to develop a higher education system that is competitive globally, relevant locally, and socially just.

Deputy Executive Director at NCHE, Sylvia Demas, commented on the institution's achievements in assuring a quality higher education framework both internationally and locally. She noted that NCHE has matured, leading to its decision to undergo an external review against the African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance, as approved by the African Union.

Demas emphasized that NCHE is the only agency in Africa serving on the boards of the regional Southern African Quality Assurance Network (SAQAN), the Continental 5 Network, AfriQAN, and the International Networks for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE). She highlighted that the institution has strengthened its role in regional and international cooperation, being a co-founder of the regional network, the SAQAN.