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January 2026
Informanté
Erastus Haitengelasaid the Ministry is leading the revival to ensure continued celebrationof Namibia's rich musical talent and cultural creativity
Source
“"The Ministry is leading this revival to ensure the continued celebration of Namibia's rich musical talent and cultural creativity. The NAMAs have long been one of Namibia's most anticipated musical events, tracing decades of recognition from the Sanlam Music Awards to the Namibian Music Awards. Music remains one of the country's most dynamic creative sectors, engaging youth, promoting talent, and reflecting Namibia's evolving cultural identity," the ministry's Executive Director, Erastus Haitengela, said.”
Erastus Haitengela, executive directordelivered welcoming remarks atofficial release of 2025 national examination results
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“Welcoming remarks by Erastus Haitengela, executive director: Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Windhoek, 13 January 2026”
Erastus HaitengelasaidGrade 9 learners are first required to acquire foundational skills through community skills development centres
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“Furthermore, Haitengela said that grade 9 learners are first required to acquire foundational skills through community skills development centres such as COSDEC, KAYEC, and Youth Skills Training Centres, including Berg Aukas, Frans Dimbare, Okahao Youth Centre, and Kai //Ganaxab.”
Executive Director Mbumba Erastus Haitengelasaidthe Ministry remains committed to safeguarding learners' right to education
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“"The Ministry remains committed to safeguarding learners' right to education and ensuring that no learner is disadvantaged due to administrative non-compliance," Executive Director Mbumba Erastus Haitengela said.”
Executive Director Mbumba Erastus Haitengelaissueda media statement on behalf of the ministry
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“In a media statement issued by Executive Director Mbumba Erastus Haitengela on Friday, the ministry was responding to an article published in The Namibian on 09 January 2026, which suggested that Grade 9 holders could now advance through TVET to earn PhDs.”
Erastus Haitengelawarned will faceserious disciplinary action any staff member caught soliciting or accepting gifts for learner placement
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“Any staff member caught at schools, circuits, or regional offices soliciting or accepting gifts, money, or favours in this regard will face serious disciplinary action.”
Erastus Haitengelaannouncedselection of Marley Tjitjo Architects as lead consultant
Source
“Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service executive director Erastus Haitengela announced the selection of Marley Tjitjo Architects in terms of the Public Procurement Act.”
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.
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.