By Gabriel Nghituwamata Haulyamayi
Primary and secondary education in public schools has been “free” for some years now, yet the recent push for fully subsidised tertiary education raises an important question: Is this the most effective use of our limited resources for achieving overall quality education?
While expanding tertiary access is commendable, Namibia’s education system faces deeper, more foundational issues at the primary and secondary levels.
Reports from UNICEF, the World Bank, and local analyses consistently highlight persistent challenges: overcrowded classrooms, low learning outcomes, high dropout rates, shortages of professionally qualified, skilled teachers (despite a surplus of newly graduated but often under-equipped teachers), inadequate infrastructure (such as laboratories, libraries, and basic facilities), inconsistent feeding school programs, and regional disparities in access—especially for vulnerable groups, children with disabilities, and those in remote areas. Despite high enrollment rates, many learners reach Grade 4 without basic literacy or numeracy skills, creating a serious learning crisis.
These foundational weaknesses undermine the entire education pipeline. Poor performance in primary and secondary schools means fewer students are adequately prepared for tertiary studies, leading to higher failure rates, prolonged studies, and inefficient use of resources at higher levels.
In many developing countries, including Namibia, mass access to tertiary education without strong foundational preparation can result in diluted quality, increased dropouts, and graduates who are not fully equipped for the job market.
A more strategic approach would involve redirecting a portion of the substantial subsidies now flowing toward blanket tertiary coverage back to primary and secondary education. Investing heavily in these earlier stages—through better teacher training, improved facilities, targeted resources for underserved regions, and programs to reduce dropouts—would build a stronger base. This would raise overall education quality, increase the number of truly capable students reaching tertiary level, and create a more meritocratic system.
Tertiary education should be treated as a privilege earned through merit, reserved primarily for the very best performers. This merit-based model, common in many high-performing education systems globally, incentivizes excellence at all levels.
It encourages students to strive harder in primary and secondary schools, knowing that top results open doors to fully subsidized higher education. Such an approach increases quality over quantity: elite tertiary institutions can focus on advanced training, research, and producing highly skilled professionals in priority fields like engineering, energy, medicine, and technology, rather than accommodating underprepared masses.
Countries that prioritize merit-based access to tertiary education often see better returns on investment, with graduates contributing more effectively to economic growth, innovation, and social stability. In contrast, rapid mass expansion without adequate preparation can strain resources, lower standards, and fail to address root inequalities.
Namibia already allocates a significant portion of its budget to education (one of the highest in the region). Rather than spreading resources thinly across all levels, we should adopt a tiered, performance-driven model:
Massive investment in primary and secondary: Focus on quality teachers, infrastructure upgrades, inclusive programs, and early interventions.
Targeted, merit-based tertiary subsidies: Full funding for top performers ( based on Grade 12 results or entrance exams), with loans or partial support for others in high-priority fields.
Complementary measures: Need-based aid for disadvantaged students who demonstrate potential, alongside vocational training pathways for those not pursuing university.
This balanced strategy would align with our developmental goals, maximize limited fiscal resources, and ensure education truly serves as an equalizer. By building excellence from the ground up, we can create a skilled, competitive workforce while preserving tertiary education as a reward for merit and hard work—not a guaranteed entitlement.
The time has come to rethink our priorities. Let’s invest first where it matters most: in the foundations of learning. Only then can Namibia truly achieve quality education for all.
