Teachers’ unemployment — a call to put things right
The ongoing demonstrations by unemployed teaching graduates demanding the government abolish the interview process and implement mass recruitment are unsurprising, given the reality on the ground. The unemployment rate among teaching graduates is estimated to have risen to 15,000 over the past two years, and this trend will likely continue if their concerns are not addressed.
This issue is not complex. From a public policy perspective, it represents a classic case of market failure caused by government decisions to reform the teacher training system. Specifically, the abolition and merger of the public Colleges of Education—Windhoek, Rundu, and Ongwediva—into the University of Namibia (UNAM) is at the heart of the problem.
While the intentions behind this merger may have been noble, its consequences are now clear. The reform shifted financial burdens onto parents and exposed graduate teachers to unemployment. The government replaced the direct placement model for graduates with an interview-based hiring system, without properly balancing the supply and demand of teachers in the education sector. This miscalculation has negatively affected both the public good and the training-to-employment pipeline—especially in a context where profit-driven private entities operate freely.
Previously, the Colleges of Education served as government-funded training centres for Namibia’s teaching profession. These colleges were well subsidised: student teachers did not worry about registration or tuition fees, accommodation, meals, transport, or internships. Most importantly, teacher unemployment and competitive interviews for entry-level positions were not major concerns, as graduates were automatically placed in teaching posts by the government.
The same placement model still exists in health training centres such as Onandjokwe, Windhoek, and Keetmanshoop, where enrolled nurses are trained. However, this reform trend is creeping into health training programmes too. Nursing graduates are likely to face similar challenges soon—interviews and unemployment due to market saturation and oversupply.
The root of the teacher unemployment crisis lies in both past and current approaches to teacher training and hiring. The former system was effective and relieved financial and employment pressures; the current system has introduced significant challenges. It raises serious questions about the rationale for abolishing the Colleges of Education—a move that not only increased financial burdens on families but also contributed to rising unemployment among teaching graduates.
The stated goal of merging the colleges into UNAM was to elevate teacher training standards to university level and improve education quality. However, this goal remains largely unmet. Secondary schools continue to produce many students who fail to meet university admission requirements. Among the 40,757 learners who sat the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) examination in 2024, only 30% reportedly met university admission requirements. Meanwhile, in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively, 80%, 79%, and 65% of learners did not attain sufficient grades for university admission. The recent promise of free tertiary education by President Netumbo in her first State of the Nation Address may offer some financial relief to parents, but it does not address the core issue of teacher unemployment under the current hiring system.
While the intent to improve education standards is understandable and change is necessary, reforms must be based on solid evidence and long-term considerations for public welfare. Poorly planned reforms lead to market inefficiencies and government failure. A free-market system has its place in national development, but it cannot replace government responsibility in key areas such as education and health. Public institutions should not be weakened or dismantled to benefit private interests.
Both the public and private sectors can coexist, but not at the expense of dismantling effective public systems. The government must play a central role in maintaining balance—especially in protecting public goods. Markets, by their nature, cannot self-correct imbalances in supply and demand without effective government intervention.
However, intervention must be purposeful and effective. The current crisis results from fixing what was not broken. It was not wrong to raise admission or qualification standards in teaching; for example, pre-primary and primary teacher training could have remained at the colleges, while secondary education training could have been offered at university level. There was no compelling reason to abolish and merge the institutions entirely—especially without considering the essential role these colleges played in the public education system, just as police, defence, and health services remain under government control.
This issue is not complex. From a public policy perspective, it represents a classic case of market failure caused by government decisions to reform the teacher training system. Specifically, the abolition and merger of the public Colleges of Education—Windhoek, Rundu, and Ongwediva—into the University of Namibia (UNAM) is at the heart of the problem.
While the intentions behind this merger may have been noble, its consequences are now clear. The reform shifted financial burdens onto parents and exposed graduate teachers to unemployment. The government replaced the direct placement model for graduates with an interview-based hiring system, without properly balancing the supply and demand of teachers in the education sector. This miscalculation has negatively affected both the public good and the training-to-employment pipeline—especially in a context where profit-driven private entities operate freely.
Previously, the Colleges of Education served as government-funded training centres for Namibia’s teaching profession. These colleges were well subsidised: student teachers did not worry about registration or tuition fees, accommodation, meals, transport, or internships. Most importantly, teacher unemployment and competitive interviews for entry-level positions were not major concerns, as graduates were automatically placed in teaching posts by the government.
The same placement model still exists in health training centres such as Onandjokwe, Windhoek, and Keetmanshoop, where enrolled nurses are trained. However, this reform trend is creeping into health training programmes too. Nursing graduates are likely to face similar challenges soon—interviews and unemployment due to market saturation and oversupply.
The root of the teacher unemployment crisis lies in both past and current approaches to teacher training and hiring. The former system was effective and relieved financial and employment pressures; the current system has introduced significant challenges. It raises serious questions about the rationale for abolishing the Colleges of Education—a move that not only increased financial burdens on families but also contributed to rising unemployment among teaching graduates.
The stated goal of merging the colleges into UNAM was to elevate teacher training standards to university level and improve education quality. However, this goal remains largely unmet. Secondary schools continue to produce many students who fail to meet university admission requirements. Among the 40,757 learners who sat the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) examination in 2024, only 30% reportedly met university admission requirements. Meanwhile, in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively, 80%, 79%, and 65% of learners did not attain sufficient grades for university admission. The recent promise of free tertiary education by President Netumbo in her first State of the Nation Address may offer some financial relief to parents, but it does not address the core issue of teacher unemployment under the current hiring system.
While the intent to improve education standards is understandable and change is necessary, reforms must be based on solid evidence and long-term considerations for public welfare. Poorly planned reforms lead to market inefficiencies and government failure. A free-market system has its place in national development, but it cannot replace government responsibility in key areas such as education and health. Public institutions should not be weakened or dismantled to benefit private interests.
Both the public and private sectors can coexist, but not at the expense of dismantling effective public systems. The government must play a central role in maintaining balance—especially in protecting public goods. Markets, by their nature, cannot self-correct imbalances in supply and demand without effective government intervention.
However, intervention must be purposeful and effective. The current crisis results from fixing what was not broken. It was not wrong to raise admission or qualification standards in teaching; for example, pre-primary and primary teacher training could have remained at the colleges, while secondary education training could have been offered at university level. There was no compelling reason to abolish and merge the institutions entirely—especially without considering the essential role these colleges played in the public education system, just as police, defence, and health services remain under government control.
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