New frameworks aim to level the playing field for learners

Namibia has launched a new national framework to strengthen standards in schools and hostels, with the education ministry saying the instruments are intended to ensure that all learners have a fair opportunity to learn and succeed, regardless of where they live.

Edda Bohn, the deputy executive director at the ministry, officially launched the 2025/2026 norms and standards framework for schools in Namibia and the national minimum standards for operations of hostels in Namibia last week.

“We are launching a commitment: a commitment to quality, a commitment to equity, a commitment to accountability and most importantly, a commitment to the dignity and future of every Namibian child,” she said.

The framework is anchored in the ministry's principle of 'Foundation First, Excellence Always', with Bohn saying strong learning foundations were essential for improved educational outcomes.

“A child cannot be expected to excel in an environment that does not provide the basic conditions for learning. A teacher cannot consistently deliver excellence without the necessary resources and support,” she said. “And a nation cannot demand world-class outcomes while accepting unequal standards for its children.”

Seven areas of quality

The framework replaces the national standards and performance indicators, which Bohn said had served an important purpose but needed to evolve as education and technology changed. “Education does not stand still. The world around our children is changing at an extraordinary pace,” she said. “Technology is changing how we work. Artificial intelligence is changing how knowledge is produced and accessed. Digital literacy is becoming increasingly essential.”

The new framework incorporates technology, ICT literacy and emerging technologies into the understanding of quality education.

However, Bohn stressed that technology alone could not transform education. “Technology is a tool, but our greatest resource remains the human potential of our children and the people entrusted with developing it,” she said.

The framework identifies seven areas for strengthening school quality: provision of resources; curriculum attainment; teaching and learning; the school as a social unit; management and leadership; links between parents and communities; and regional and circuit links.

Bohn said standards should not be reduced to administrative compliance. “When we speak about standards, we must be careful not to reduce the conversation to checklists, inspections, forms or compliance. Standards are ultimately about people,” she said. She stressed that regional differences should not justify unequal ambitions for learners.

“Our regions do not always have equal circumstances. But our circumstances must never become an excuse for unequal ambition,” Bohn said.

Hostels under new standards

The ministry also launched the national minimum standards for hostels.

“For thousands of Namibian children, a hostel is a home away from home. That phrase carries enormous responsibility,” Bohn said.

The standards establish expectations covering hostel infrastructure, welfare, nutrition, health and safety. “When a parent sends a child to a hostel, that parent is entrusting the state, the institution and its officials with something that cannot be replaced: the safety and wellbeing of their child. That trust must never be taken lightly,” she said.

Bohn said hostels must provide more than accommodation, including care, safety, nutrition and a sense of belonging.