Ounongo Repository
The Ounongo Repository (OR) is the institutional repository of Namibia University of Science and Technology. Ounongo means "knowledge. in the Oshiwambo and Otjiherero languages. The OR is administered by the Library, with technical assistance from DICT, and its aim is to collect, organize, manage, store, preserve, publish and make accessible worldwide, the knowledge assets or intellectual output of the University's researchers, staff and post-graduate students. Users may set up RSS feeds to be alerted to new content.
Communities in Ounongo
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Recent Submissions
Community Perceptions of Police Performance and Legitimacy in Hardap Region / Namibia: Research Proposal
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-05) Schulz, Stefan
This study investigates community perceptions of police performance and legitimacy in the Hardap Region, Namibia. While traditional performance indicators such as crime rates and response times remain important, contemporary research emphasizes that citizens’ trust, satisfaction, and perceived fairness increasingly define the legitimacy and effectiveness of policing. Against a backdrop of growing public concern over misconduct and inadequate service delivery within NAMPOL, this project adopts a mixed-methods approach—integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews—to systematically examine subjective perceptions and their alignment (or divergence) with objective performance indicators. The research aims to identify key drivers of trust and dissatisfaction, assess demographic variations in perceptions, and propose data-informed strategies for improving police responsiveness, professionalism, and community engagement. Using frameworks such as SERVQUAL and incorporating insights on procedural justice and symbolic legitimacy, the study intends to contribute to strengthening democratic policing principles in Namibia. Findings are expected to support the development of targeted reforms, guide community policing strategies, and enhance institutional accountability, ultimately bridging the gap between citizen expectations and policing realities. The research is embedded in a broader collaborative project involving NUST and NAMPOL, leveraging academic rigor to inform policy and operational improvements in service delivery.
Rethinking pre-trial detention in Namibia: Summary report: 2021 – 2024
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025) Schulz, Stefan
Pretrial detention facilities worldwide are overcrowded. In Namibia the number of inmates in remand detention has been on the increase latest since Independence in 1990, and the same problems which can be observed elsewhere plague Namibia. People who are detained in overcrowded facilities struggle to maintain their self-respect and emotional stability. Violence, exploitation, extortion and lack of privacy are generally contributors. In July 2021 we laid down a baseline study proposal under the title Rethinking pre-trial detention in Namibia (Schulz and Bruyns, 2021) with the intention to investigate the reality of pre-trial detention on the ground, i.e., in the remand facilities throughout Namibia.
A pedagogical stylistic evaluation of creative writing studies in the Department of Communication and Languages at NUST
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-04-29) Kalimbo, Sonio Haitangomwene
This study was driven by the critical need for creative writing skills through creative writing studies. The current literature teaching methods do not contribute to the enhancement of students’ creative writing skills, as a result, most students are unable to enhance their creative writing skills through literature studies. The Namibia University of Science and Technology main campus in Windhoek conducted a study, which focused on evaluating stylistic pedagogical approaches typically used in literature classrooms to improve students’ creative writing skills. The current study used a mixed research approach following a concurrent triangulation mixed method design through a pragmatic paradigm, which allowed the researcher to interpret the collected data objectively. A questionnaire was utilised to collect data from twenty-three (23) English third-year students and two (2) undergraduate literature course facilitators. Furthermore, a classroom checklist, students’ tests, and review of the current literature syllabus were also used as part of the data collection tools. The collected data were analysed in line with the study objectives following a thematic analysis method. The key findings of the study specified the significant role of pedagogical stylistic approaches towards the enhancement of students’ creative writing skills through literature studies. Creative writing skills enhance students’ abilities to develop character, enrich their vocabulary, understand language context, deepen their thematic knowledge, and improve their sentence constructing and structuring skills, their reading, writing, and imagination skills. Indeed, it also enhances students’ second language acquisition. The results suggested that there are several challenges impeding students from enhancing their creative writing skills through literature studies. These challenges include poor literature teaching methods, failure to use technology for creative writing, and being a creative writing beginner. The study further shed light on the several linguistic strategies that could be implemented in order to enhance students’ creative writing skills through literature studies, namely using technology for creative writing, introducing creative writing courses, reviewing and updating the current curriculum, as well as teaching literature with specific goals targeting some linguistic aspects that would contribute towards language learning.
A forensic linguistics investigation of threat text messages addressed to gender-based violence (GBV) victims reported to the Namibian Police Force, Windhoek
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-04-29) Heita, Rachel Mwayola
Although police investigators and criminal detectives work diligently to identify perpetrators, they frequently encounter difficulties, especially when dealing with cases involving linguistic elements, thus they request forensic linguists to assist them in finding or minimising the culprits. Forensic linguistics is an investigative tool that allows linguists to study legal documents and spoken language to uncover motivations behind actions and identify culprits. This study investigated the threat text messages addressed to victims of gender-based violence (GBV) reported to the Namibian Police Force in Windhoek. The main objectives of this study were to examine the linguistic evidence, features, and choices within threat text messages, investigate the discourse structures of these threat messages, as well as describe the sociolinguistic profiles of the perpetrators of these threat messages. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and used a content checklist analysis to gather data, as well as Linguistic Variation theory to analyse the threatening messages. The results demonstrate a strong link between education, language use, and the propensity for violence, with youth more frequently using informal digital communication to issue threats. Through the identification of linguistic markers and sociolinguistic profiles, this research offers insights into the prevention of gender-based violence by informing law enforcement, legal professionals, and policymakers about the role of language in GBV-related threats and aiding in more effective threat assessment and intervention strategies.
An error analysis of grade 11 learners' blog entries at Ella du Plessis High School in Windhoek, Namibia
(Namibia University of Science and Technology, 2025-04-29) Waandja, Kronelia Tulonga
This study investigated the grammatical errors made by Grade 11 learners at Ella du Plessis High School in Windhoek in their blog entries. A qualitative research design was used to identify the learners’ written errors from a sample size of 118 assessment-based blog entries. The study population covered a total population of 178 Grade 11 learners studying English as a Second Language (ESL) and two English teachers. Learners' written tests, interviews, and a content analysis checklist were used to gather data. Grammatical errors such as punctuation errors, subject-verb agreement challenges, tense inconsistencies, sentence fragments, and article misuse, were found to be highly prevalent. These errors were connected to native language interference, limited exposure to actual English usage, and the influence of informal communication patterns. It was discovered that blogging encourages participation, creativity, and peer interaction while offering a forum for real-world language use. However, its effectiveness was impeded by issues like poor grammar education, a lack of technological resources, and a lack of revision chances. According to the study, teaching ESL should incorporate focused grammar training that focuses on topics like article usage, subject-verb agreement, and verb tenses. Peer review sessions and writing workshops are also suggested as ways to strengthen students' abilities through group projects and cooperative learning. Additionally, it is recommended that learners be exposed to more authentic language use, such as blogs, newspapers, and online platforms, in order to contextualise better and apply grammatical principles. Schools should make investments in technology infrastructure and give teachers the training they need to oversee technology-enhanced learning environments in order to maximise blogging as a teaching tool.