Making a difference

Justicia Shipena



Franz Gertze is a born and bred Namibian who hails from Okahandja in the Otjozondjupa Region.

After high school he enrolled at the Old Academy, which is now known as the University of Namibia (Unam), to study education. Upon graduation, Gertze taught English and Geography in the south of Namibia, before moving on to teach at Cosmos High School for about 10 years.

Thereafter he started as a higher education officer in the ministry of education, and was promoted over the years until he became the director of quality assurance before being seconded from government to the NQA upon the promulgation of the NQA Act.

“Since I joined the NQA it has been an exhilarating journey as we established something new from scratch. The journey was exciting but not always smooth. One of the main reasons why the NQA was established was to implement the reform agenda of the education and training system in Namibia. This is especially tough because transformation involves a multitude of stakeholders with divergent expectations they want to be met,” he said.

At the NQA Gertze has gained extensive experience in the area of quality assurance and remains eager to entrench a quality culture in the national education and training system. As part of achieving its mission, the NQA has crafted a five-year strategic plan centred around the organisation’s vision to be a globally reputable qualifications authority.

“Being a globally reputable qualifications authority is even more relevant today because more Namibian citizens pursue their studies outside the country. We must ensure that the qualifications they receive are credible. The current situation of a mismatch between qualifications’ offerings, professional requirements and the demand by the world of work requires our urgent attention and must be attended to without delay. The modes of delivery of qualifications globally is changing, but quality should remain a constant.

“The number of institutions, both private and public, are increasing, which is an indication that Namibians value education. However, that qualification, whether attained in Namibia or beyond, should be meaningful and contribute to the socio-economic development of the holder. After all, the purpose of education is to changes mirrors into windows,” he said.

For this year, the NQA’s operational theme is ‘Triple S’ namely sustainability, success and significance.

According to Gertze, sustainability refers to the establishment of tools to overcome the challenges posed by the current economic landscape and finding innovative ways to remain sustainable. The second part of the theme, success, means being consistent and calls on the NQA employees to maintain standards of excellence in whatever they do. In terms of significance, Gertze had the following to say: “Significance is not success; significance is when we make a difference in the life of somebody and we want to be an organisation that makes a difference in the lives of Namibians and beyond. So each and every employee is challenged to be significant in this way,” he said.

Internally, Gertze said he would like to see the NQA as a place in which people find comfort and feel supported.

One of the highlights of his career so far has been building an organisation of repute with a small but committed team and with support from government.

Reflecting on his journey, Gertze said they were only about five people when the NQA was established and it grew from a directorate in the education ministry to become a fully-fledged SOE.

Today the NQA is a well-functioning SOE that has registered over 900 qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), with 52 accredited institutions. It evaluates at least 8 000 qualifications a year.

“We have contributed to the socio-economic development of this country by creating an environment where qualifications are quality assured,” he said.

He said the evaluation of qualifications helps Namibia obtain data on how many people are qualified in different levels and fields in the country and to plan for the future. The evaluation of qualifications is also important in terms of uprooting qualifications’ fraud.

Gertze said the NQA places great importance on mentorship and is therefore committed to the development of its staff and enabling them to reach their full potential.

He added that communication is the glue that keeps the team together and emphasised the importance of opening the communication lines at every level in the organisation.

While he has looks up to various people for inspiration and guidance, he regards his mother as his greatest mentor and someone whose advice he cherishes.

“At one stage I was very rebellious to the extent that I dropped out of school. My mother is the one who made me understand the importance of education. And today, with all my qualifications, I know I get better wisdom from her than from any book,” Gertze said.

In his spare time, Gertze enjoys cooking and reading.