Africa Business Communities
Namibian Youth embraces and makes NSFAF Online Registration a success

Namibian Youth embraces and makes NSFAF Online Registration a success

Namibian students have completely embraced the new NSFAF Online Registration system that was launched on December 15th, 2016.  As part of the IT Masterplan, NSFAF implemented new streamlined business processes and integrated numerous internal and external systems to optimize its entire operation. The entire new Applicants Intake 2017 process  has signaled a new era of efficiency and stakeholder service for Namibia.

The new Student Application Intake 2017 based on the Loan Grant, Application Management Information System (LGAMIS), has seen constant and continuous activity since December 15, 2016. With raving reviews from the student users and figures to match. This is great news, especially with the Grade 12 results having just come out and potential tertiary studies students wanting to check their eligibility for some form of NSFAF funding.

In the first 24 hours the NSFAF Application Page was already used by 2.600 applicants. Some 66% accessed from computers, 30% from Smartphones and about 3% from Tablets. About 27% connected through MTC and 18% through Telecom Namibia plus several connections from abroad. On average NSFAF always have some 30 users on the Application System simultaneously, right from the start. When you dig deeper into the numbers and as this process has now been taken online, everything is measurable and quantifiable. The figures speak for themselves. NSFAF knows; The Number of Users on the Website, the Number of Facebook Engagements, the Number of Applications Received, the number of documents provided for example, and the number enquiries received, to only name a few things that are tracked to constantly and almost on a daily basis optimize the application. The organisation made the right move by engaging the Namibian youth online and through Facebook, as that is where they can be found. Namibian students know how to access, ask, request and use the information NSFAF has made available.

Some powerful facts and figures since the launch on December 15, 2016:

  • 340.000 People between 16 and 25 are active on Facebook in Namibia

  • NSFAF has seen  ∼ 46,000 individual website sessions for the online registration

  • ∼ 25,000 Online Registration website visitors

  • More than 26,500 Facebook users engaged on the NSFAF Facebook page.

  • More than 5,500 users had checked their eligibility for NSFAF funding already

Thomas Müller, Chief Information Officer of NSFAF said; “The above figures shows that the Youth of Namibia is very active on the Internet. They are online and Facebook is their platform of choice on which to engage and source information. NSFAF has used this to its advantage and created the Eligibility Checker right in Facebook Messenger as a so called “bot” to check their Eligibility where they are and in the manner that they are used to."

This has been a major operation for NSFAF and its staff. A team of 30 NSFAF-staff from all 14 regions in Namibia and all departments of NSFAF were actively involved in the Intake 2017. There were dedicated working groups such as the Regional Logistics and Resources, Campus Logistics and Resources, Awards Contracting & Customer Care, Marketing, Advertising and PR and IT Infrastructure and Devices. They all worked tirelessly to make the Online Application Process 2017 a success and available for those eager to study. This is an extraordinary result for all at NSFAF to be proud of and demonstrates that Namibia and its State Owned Enterprises can deliver high quality, instant and efficient services to their stakeholders if they dare take the technological leap that is required. This is how the Harambee Prosperity Plan and turning Namibia into a knowledge-based society that is efficient and there for its citizens can truly be achieved.   Not satisfied with just having the Online Registration run itself, NSFAF has organized a roadshow to all 14 regions, visiting 119 locations while the Campus Logistics and Resource group organized NSFAF stands at 18 campuses throughout the country. NSFAF has never before reached such a broad audience even in the most remote and rural areas for any intake. No one is being left out.

✓    The IT, Infrastructure and Devices team created the needed IT architecture with almost 100 Laptops, Printers, Scanners, MTC and Telecom Namibia 3G and LTE Network access for the regional and campus teams and managed, that, despite all challenges, the hardware was delivered and perfectly setup with integrated remote support in time.

✓    In the spirit of Harambee, the marketing, advertising and PR team ran a large advertising campaign in relevant newspapers, numerous radio stations with clips in 9 local languages, TV interviews and social media campaigns to make every potential applicant aware of the NSFAF services and the Intake 2017. On Facebook alone, the NSFAF campaigns achieved 1.2 Million impressions in the target group of 16-30 year old male and female Namibians.

✓    The Awards, Contracting and Customer Care Team organized the necessary resources to validate the supporting documents and to assist applicants on the NSFAF Helpdesk by Phone and by eMail.

✓    The Online Registration application has been seamlessly integrated and built with so much underlying intelligence that the complexity of checking eligibility has become as simple as sending an SMS for any applicant. The eligibility checker is available by SMS, on Facebook Messenger and on the NSFAF website.

 At NSFAF, we have an ambitious roadmap for 2017 with enhancements and optimizations for the LGAMIS platform and other areas in the IT Masterplan just like the Payment Checker that was launched only this week. LGAMIS truly has become the backbone of the NSFAF operation. With this first success in place, the mission to make NSFAF the most efficient, effective and streamlined State Owned Enterprise in Namibia of which all NSFAF Team members can be proud of is well on its way.

www.nsfaf.fund

 


Share this article