The government has officially launched the planning phase for the implementation of free tertiary education in public institutions, setting an August 2025 deadline for the finalisation of a national roadmap.
Speaking on behalf of Minister Sanet Steenkamp, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti, delivered the opening remarks at the inaugural meeting of the Task Force on Free Tertiary Education, held on Thursday at Droombos, Windhoek.
“Finally, let me underline the urgency of the work of the Task Force. The recommendations of this body must be finalised and submitted to Cabinet before the end of August 2025. I therefore urge that we convene weekly sessions with the seriousness and discipline this responsibility demands,” he said.
He further explained that the task force, which includes key representatives from public universities, regulatory bodies and financial institutions, has been mandated to develop a practical and sustainable approach to delivering free higher education. This follows President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s recent State of the Nation Address, where she reaffirmed the government’s commitment to removing tuition and registration fees at public tertiary institutions.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the need for stakeholder collaboration, fiscal prudence, and honest dialogue in the rollout process. He suggested exploring phased funding models, such as prioritising high-demand courses, and stressed that while public institutions are the focus, private students should not be excluded, proposing that “funding should follow the student”.
“Our Minister has therefore emphasised the need for honest, clear, and fearless deliberations within this task force. We are not here merely to endorse an idea, on the contrary, we are tasked with shaping how this idea can work, how it can be phased in responsibly, and how it can be sustained,” he said
He clarified that, for now, non-tuition expenses like accommodation, meals, and transport will remain the responsibility of students, but should be considered in future policy discussions.
The task force has also been assigned to draft a clear, uniform press statement to inform the public, especially students and parents, about what the free education directive entails and what it does not cover.
“We owe them transparency. As such, one of the first outcomes is the drafting of the press statement on how the Ministry envisions introducing free tertiary education in public institutions,” he said
