Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
August 2026
The Namibian
Executive director in the ministry Erastus Haitengelasaysthe system seeks to promote consistency and fairness in admissions
Source
“Executive director in the ministry Erastus Haitengela says the system seeks to promote consistency and fairness in admissions and forms part of the first phase of implementing minimum standards for higher education institutions in Namibia, following Cabinet decision No 26th/21.10.25/006.”
Executive director Erastus Haitengelastatedmost pupils affected by teenage pregnancy were aged 16-20, majority in Grades 8-12
Source
“Executive director Erastus Haitengela says most pupils affected by teenage pregnancy were aged between 16 and 20, with the majority in Grades 8 to 12.”
Erastus Haitengelastatedrural pupil mothers significantly less likely to return to school than urban counterparts
Source
“"Rural pupil mothers were significantly less likely to return to school than their urban counterparts, with reintegration challenges particularly evident in the Kunene and Ohangwena regions," Haitengela says.”
Ministry executive director Erastus Haitengelawelcomed the signing and stressedneed for close coordination during construction
Source
“The ministry's executive director, Erastus Haitengela, welcomed the signing and stressed the need for close coordination between the ministry, contractor and other stakeholders during construction.”
Education ministry's executive director Erastus Haitengelacalled forclose coordination and communication during project
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“The education ministry's executive director, Erastus Haitengela, called for close coordination and communication during the duration of the project to resolve any challenges that may arise.”
Erastus Haitengelainformed NTA executive officer of the decision to awarda contract to supply food to state hostels nationwide for six months
Source
“Executive director of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Erastus Haitengela on 29 June informed NTA executive officer Erick Nenghwanya of the decision to award a contract to supply and deliver food to state hostels nationwide for six months.”
Erastus Haitengelasaid the country had movedbeyond policy formulation and was now focused on implementation
Source
“Opening the workshop, deputy executive director Knox Otto Imbuwa delivered opening remarks on behalf of the executive director of education, Erastus Haitengela said the country had moved beyond policy formulation and was now focused on implementation.”
Erastus Haitengelasaid ministry awarded contract forhostel facility construction at Cocoma
Source
“Education ministry executive director Erastus Haitengela on Monday said the ministry has already awarded a contract for the construction of hostel facilities at Cocoma.”
Education Executive Director Mbumba Erastus Haitengelasaid unregistered and unaccredited institutionscompromise the integrity of education system and place students' futures at risk
Source
“"Unregistered and unaccredited institutions compromise the integrity of our education system and place students' futures at risk," he said.”
The Swapo Party Youth League has welcomed the Ministry of Education's new standardised admission point scale for higher education but wants its implementation delayed by a year from 2027 to allow pupils, teachers and schools more time to adjust. The system will calculate admission points using a pupil's best five subjects with English compulsory and applies to multiple qualifications including Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate and International Baccalaureate.
The Swapo Party Youth League has welcomed the Ministry of Education's new standardised admission point scale for higher education but wants its implementation delayed by a year from 2027 to allow pupils, teachers and schools more time to adjust. The system will calculate admission points using a pupil's best five subjects with English compulsory and applies to multiple qualifications including Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate and International Baccalaureate.
Pupils from rural areas make up about 66% of teenage pregnancies in Namibia, and rural young mothers are significantly less likely to return to school than their urban peers, according to a Ministry of Education report. Pupil pregnancy rates declined from 1.97% in 2022 to 1.34% in 2024, while the proportion of pupil mothers returning to school rose to 53.9% in 2024.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia has signed a N$268.7 million contract with Art Construction CC to transform Muzii Combined School in the Zambezi Region through embankment elevation and ground raising, aimed at protecting the school from recurring floods and improving learning conditions.
The Central Procurement Board says it will cost N$268.7 million to elevate the grounds of the flood-affected Muzii Combined School in the Zambezi region over three years. The contract was awarded to Art Construction CC and will include elevated platforms, embankment protection, hostel blocks, and other school infrastructure to improve resilience and safety.
Private caterer Pamo Trading Enterprises is challenging a N$540-million hostel food tender awarded to the Namibia Training Authority for supplying food to 239 government school hostels accommodating 77,281 pupils nationwide. The company filed an application at the Windhoek High Court on 20 July seeking to have the award set aside and any procurement contracts declared null and void.
Namibia has begun implementing its National Work-Integrated Learning Policy to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace skills, aiming to improve graduate employability. The implementation phase was launched during a two-day national working session in Okahandja, bringing together education institutions, employers, and state agencies to establish coordination mechanisms and monitoring systems for 2026/27.
The education ministry sought an exemption from finance to appoint the Namibia Training Authority to supply food to government school hostels outside open competitive bidding, citing the need to reduce litigation risks and ensure food security after prolonged court cases. The interim arrangement is budgeted at just over N$90 million per month for six months pending resolution of a Supreme Court case.
Beki-Kumata fishing company has completed two hostel blocks at Cocoma Primary School in Kavango East but says they cannot be occupied until the Ministry of Education completes ablution facilities. The company allocated N$350,000 towards the hostel construction.
The Ministry of Education has urged the public to report higher education institutions operating without registration or accreditation, warning that qualifications from unregistered and unaccredited institutions may not be accepted by employers or other learning institutions. The ministry advises prospective students to verify a college or university's registration with the NCHE or NTA before enrolling and to check that their course is accredited with the NQA before making payments.
More than 200 Namibian students accepted into medical and health-related programmes abroad had their NSFAF funding applications rejected on grounds that these fields do not appear on the agency's priority list. An affected student said the policy shift was not formally communicated beforehand and contradicts the historical treatment of medical fields as priority.
Education directors have called for the N$10 school admission application fee to be made optional, warning that some parents may struggle to afford it despite the Ministry of Education permitting schools to charge up to N$10 to cover administrative costs.
Newly appointed National Arts Council of Namibia chairperson Lot Ndamanomhata aims to increase the creative sector's contribution to GDP from 1.5% to 3% under the sixth National Development Plan, citing improvements in the industry's coordination and citing 327 local film productions between 2022 and 2024 that generated an average of N$122.5 million in spending and created over 2,400 jobs. He acknowledged that policy, infrastructure, and financial deficits continue to constrain the sector, with funding remaining the most pressing challenge as most creative projects are self-financed.
The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund is processing institutional invoices since April 2026 for tuition and non-tuition support, with advance payments already made to institutions. Non-tuition fee payments will now be processed weekly starting the second week of June 2026.
The Ministry of Education has directed higher education institutions to allow NSFAF-funded students to write examinations and access results while funding payments are being finalised. The ministry is processing about 100,000 student funding records; delays stem from a high volume of applications, implementation of a new tertiary education funding model, and NSFAF integration.
A joint committee is drafting a strategy to revive the Loudima Institute for Technical and Vocational Training in the Republic of the Congo by July. The institute, which trained exiled Namibians during the liberation struggle and provided technical training in the 1980s, was suspended in 2021 due to poor living conditions and infrastructure challenges.
The Ministry of Education says the Basic Education Act allows individual schools to set their own rules, backing Leevi Hakusembe Secondary School's ban on pupils bringing food to hostels. The school cited low dining hall turnout and food waste, though parents have complained their children report hunger and say hostel meals are insufficient.
Five years after its rollout, Namibia's Advanced Subsidiary curriculum will undergo review as the percentage of candidates graded in at least three subjects fell to 70.30% in 2025 from a 2021 peak of 76.00%. The Ministry of Education cited performance data, monitoring visits, and examination analysis as informing potential revisions.
The government has cancelled a restricted bidding process for school hostel food procurement and extended costly interim emergency contracts for six months to avoid disruptions while a new tender is finalised. The extension follows legal procedures linked to the procurement process, though stakeholders raise concerns about transparency and the impact on vulnerable hostel pupils.
Oshanamutango Primary School in Olukonda constituency has remained closed since 2018 after enrolment fell below the Ministry of Education's minimum requirement of 50 learners. Community leaders have proposed repurposing the school infrastructure for a vocational training centre or police station, pending approval from regional authorities.
The Ministry of Education has instructed private schools to operate only within their approved grades and programmes, following reports that Eileen Private School in Kavango East offered Grade 10 classes without authorisation. The school has been formally instructed to discontinue the grade and the ministry says it will continue monitoring to ensure compliance with the Education Act.
The Ministry of Education has issued an urgent directive requiring private schools offering the IEB curriculum to register Grade 12 learners with recognised examining bodies, as the IEB International Secondary Certificate is not recognised by the Namibia Qualifications Authority and learners risk denial of university admission.
The education ministry is shifting focus toward inclusive education by integrating pupils with disabilities into mainstream schools rather than relying solely on special schools, citing improved access to education and proximity to family support. The move faces infrastructure and specialist training challenges, though the ministry plans feasibility studies and expanded facilities while disability advocates welcome the approach but emphasize the need for adequate support, smaller classes, and anti-bullying policies.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture has paid an estimated N$27.5 million in rental fees over 25 months for a Windhoek office building owned by Erastus Shapumba that remains unoccupied since the lease was signed in December 2023. The Works and Transport Minister confirmed the government cannot easily terminate the contract despite ongoing construction delays and a subsequent ministry merger in March 2025 that contributed to the delayed relocation.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture has announced the revival of the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) this year, following a six-year pause. The ministry aims to support the local music industry, encourage emerging artists, and reinforce music's role in nation-building and cultural identity.
The Ministry of Education announced the official release of Namibia's 2025 national senior secondary examination results (NSSCO and NSSCAS). The executive director commended learners, teachers, and parents for their efforts and encouraged all stakeholders to support learners' continued academic progress and future development.
The Ministry of Education has clarified that the Cabinet has not approved a national pathway allowing Grade 9 learners to progress directly through TVET to obtain university-level and doctoral qualifications. Grade 9 learners must first complete foundational skills training at community skills development centres before being considered for TVET programmes.
The Ministry of Education has clarified that government has already provided funds to cover basic stationery items for all learners, and parents must not be forced to purchase these core materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and erasers. Schools may discuss supplementary items beyond the government-supplied minimum in consultation with parents, but any requests for core stationery are contrary to ministry guidelines.
Namibia's education ministry dismissed claims that Grade 9 learners can progress through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training system to obtain doctoral degrees, describing the assertion as misleading. The ministry clarified that Cabinet has not approved any pathway allowing direct progression from Grade 9 to university-level qualifications, and that current entry to TVET requires NSSCO (Grade 11) or Grade 12 qualifications.
The education ministry has warned that staff members who solicit or accept bribes, gifts, or money in exchange for learner placement will face serious disciplinary action, and may face criminal charges. The ministry also reaffirmed that learner admission must be transparent and based on approved procedures, with no screening tests, compulsory tuition fees, or admission fees allowed at government schools.