Unam says 2027 applicants unaffected by new scale

The University of Namibia (Unam) says its admission requirements for students applying for the 2027 academic year are in line with the new national higher education evaluation point scale.

The university’s response comes after the Students Union of Namibia (SUN) called for the implementation of the standardised admission requirements to be delayed, arguing that changing admission criteria could disadvantage prospective students who had already applied under existing requirements.

“The Unam evaluation point scale used up to and including the 2026 academic year is fully aligned with the national scale," Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho said.

"The implementation of the Namibia Higher Education Evaluation Point Scale will therefore have no impact on students who have already submitted applications,” Namesho clarified.

Standard framework

The education ministry's higher education circular 01/2026 introduces the Namibia Higher Education Evaluation Point Scale as a standardised framework for evaluating learner performance across higher education institutions.

The system is set to apply from the 2027 academic year, with institutions required to use learners’ best five subjects for calculating admission points, with English compulsory.

The ministry says the standardised scale is intended to promote consistency and fair and transparent admissions and align Namibia’s higher education system with international standards. SUN, however, has raised concerns about the timing and broader implications of the changes, calling for consultation with students, parents, institutions, educators and other stakeholders.

“Consultations on and input into this document took place during 2021 and 2022, and institutions were made aware of the imminent implementation of the standards," Namesho said.

SUN has warned that higher or standardised admission thresholds could disproportionately affect learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those without access to well-resourced schools, private tutoring, technology and other educational resources.

The union has called for a comprehensive review of quality challenges across the education pipeline, arguing that improving higher education cannot be achieved simply by changing admission points.