Subsidised funding overhaul opens doors for 30 000 students

At least 30 000 Namibian students will benefit from newly introduced subsidised post-school education funding, marking a 35% increase on previous years.

Speaking at the education ministry’s annual staff address in Windhoek on Wednesday, education minister Sanet Steenkamp said the increase reflects government’s commitment to more equitable access to education.

She said the funding model, which applies to both public and private institutions, represents “a significant shift in how access to post-school education is supported,” particularly for students from financially constrained households.

“By easing the financial burden on families and expanding funding pathways, we are ensuring that deserving young Namibians are not excluded from further study due to financial constraints,” Steenkamp said.

The reforms were informed by extensive consultations with government departments, public enterprises, universities and regulatory bodies, the minister said.

“We received so much knowledge from the work that was done and the synergies that were created over the past few months."

She added that collaboration across the sector has helped align education, training and research priorities.

Adjustments

Steenkamp said the ministry would use lessons from the rollout to improve the funding framework over time.

“While we acknowledge that no system or model is perfect, we shall continue to strengthen this process as we gain valuable lessons during the interim implementation period,” she said.

The minister described the reforms within the higher education, training and innovation space as being “geared towards improvement”, saying they signal decisive action toward building a skilled and competitive workforce.

She also praised public and private institutions for absorbing large numbers of first-year students amid uncertainty during the rollout of the funding model, describing their cooperation as critical to the reform’s success.

Beyond higher education, Steenkamp said the sector remains a central pillar of government’s response to youth unemployment, alongside expanded access to education and training.