Nanso warns of 'dangerous systemic regression' in exam results

The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has issued a serious warning after the release of the 2025 NSSCO and NSSCAS results, describing the outcomes as “measured progress alongside dangerous systemic regression".

Addressing the media at a press conference in Windhoek last week, Nanso secretary for basic and secondary education, Lavinia Leonard, said the results expose deep structural weaknesses in Namibia’s education system.

“Progress at the margins cannot distract from mass exclusion at the centre of the system,” Leonard warned.

She said that 64% of full-time NSSCO candidates, about 24 771 learners, remain excluded from the higher education pipeline.

Leonard noted that while the proportion of full-time NSSCO candidates qualifying for Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level rose from 29.5% in 2024 to 36% in 2025, the improvement benefits only 13 921 learners, leaving the majority behind.

Nanso also raised concern over a decline in full-time NSSCO enrolment, which dropped by 5.1%, from 40 757 learners in 2024 to 38 692 in 2025. At the same time, part-time NSSCO enrolment increased by 9.8%, adding 3 817 learners to the system.

Leonard described this shift as “a system that recycles failure rather than resolving it”, pointing out that many part-time candidates repeatedly enrol without receiving meaningful academic support.

At AS level, Nanso underlined the “serious systemic warning” as performance declined despite increased enrolment. AS enrolment increased by 21.7%, from 9 835 candidates in 2024 to 11 968 in 2025, but performance dropped across key indicators: The three-subject benchmark dropped from 74.1% to 70%, and overall subject attainment declined from 88.2% to 86.4%.

Lack of resources

Nanso blamed the decline on “unfunded expansion and inadequate planning”, saying there are insufficient teachers, classrooms, laboratories and learning materials to support the growing numbers.

The student body also raised alarm over the continued absence of disability-disaggregated data in national examination reports. “A system that fails to measure inclusion cannot credibly claim equity,” Leonard said, adding that the invisibility of learners with disabilities undermines Namibia’s inclusive education commitments.

Despite the concerns, Nanso highlighted regional success, noting that Kavango East topped national rankings with 52.7% of candidates qualifying for AS level, well above the national average. However, Nanso said this success remains uneven and has not been replicated in underperforming regions.

The student organisation called for urgent, well-resourced reforms, including expanded teaching capacity, investigation into declining full-time enrolment, transformation of the part-time system and inclusive data reporting.

“The future of Namibia’s human capital depends on the choices we make now,” Leonard said.