National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has finalised the School Grant Policy. Education Minister Anna Nghipondoka presented the policy in parliament on Tuesday. Nghipondoka said the ministry conducted national and regional consultations between December 2019 and February 2020 to inform the public on the development of a funding model.  “This consultation process resulted in the development of the School Grant Policy, the aim of which is to reduce existing inequities through an efficient and equitable funding mechanism that ensures that schools and their learners, from different socio-economic backgrounds, access the adequate resources required to participate fully in…

Stefanus Nashama Floodwaters have been detected in parts of the Oshana and Omusati regions, particularly in the western Cuvelai areas.  Oshakati mayor Leonard Hango confirmed this on Tuesday, attributing the flows to heavy rainfall. "The active flows of water are observed at the Western part of the Cuvelai in Onekehe, Okalongo, Onembamba, Okanwa, Epoko of the Ogongo stream, and Onelago of the Western Outapi. This indicates flooding, and people are fishing in those areas,” he said. Despite the flooding in these areas, Hango noted that the Oshigambo River, Engela, Shanalumono, and Ohaingu streams are not currently experiencing active water flows.…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Learners are increasingly creating their own small business ventures to raise funds for their school activities. Some of these children offer services such as cleaning to meet their financial needs. In Swakopmund, 14-year-old Charlton Stefanus from Swakopmund has taken an entrepreneurial approach to raise funds for his school’s Entrepreneurship Day by offering dustbin cleaning services to the community.  His mother, Justina Nauyoma, expressed pride in his determination. “The fact that he is thinking of that at his age and decided to continue even after he reached his target for the entrepreneur task from school makes me extremely proud.…

Ester Mbathera  In 2024, Namibia experienced approximately 1.1 million cyber attack incidents, notably a significant breach at Telecom Namibia, where 626GB of sensitive data was exposed. A fraud examiner, Melanie Meiring from SoA Growth & Integrity Consulting, in a statement shared recently, said cyber threats are no longer a distant concern for the country.  “They are happening right now, and at an alarming rate,” she said.  These cyber incidents target businesses, government entities, and individuals, and they involve fraud, phishing scams, and ransomware attacks. Despite the rising threats, Namibia has yet to enact the Cybercrime Bill or the Data Protection…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT brought together biodiversity policymakers, scientists, and Indigenous community representatives from six countries to address the pressing challenges of invasive alien species (IAS) and sustainable wildlife use (SU). The ministry is currently hosting the BES-Net Regional Trialogue for East and Southern Africa. The environment ministry’s executive director, Teofilus Nghitila, during the official opening of the Trialogue in Windhoek, stressed the importance of proactive intervention in tackling invasive species. “Invasive alien species are among the top drivers of biodiversity loss globally, with wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems, economies, and human well-being. At the…

Ester Mbathera  Namibia has a high number of congenital heart disease (CHD) cases, exceeding the global average of one in 100 births. Windhoek Central Hospital sees about 2 000 patients with heart defects each year. Many children need early diagnosis and treatment, but access to specialised care remains limited. This is according to Dr Fenny Shidhika, a paediatric cardiologist at the Windhoek Central Hospital, as the world observes Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week, which started from 7 to 14 February. “The incidence has a direct linear relationship with an increasing birth rate and prevalence, with population density across different regions,”…

Niël Terblanché A baby elephant that the Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA)  along with officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism tried to rescue and relocate on Monday to an orphanage died as a result of severe trauma after it was abandoned by its mother. The volunteers from the EHRA confirmed that the elephant calf from the Ugab West herd died, despite the tireless efforts of veterinary professionals and conservation teams who fought to save its life. “The calf was first observed on 11 February 2025. Although it was moving and attempting to drink milk, it had been…

Niël Terblanché Only through bold investments and sustained commitment can Africa overcome the persistent challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition. According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report, 298 million Africans—equivalent to one in five people—faced hunger in 2023. Additional data from 2022 painted an equally concerning picture, with 924.8 million Africans unable to afford a healthy diet, 63.1 million young children suffering from stunting, and 10.2 million children classified as overweight. The burden of malnutrition extends to adults, with 123.9 million classified as obese and 122.7 million women of reproductive age affected…

Niël Terblanché A delegation of farmers from the Kavango West region has acquired crucial agricultural knowledge during a benchmarking visit to Olushandja in the Omusati region. Facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the visit, which took place last Thursday, was led by Sirkka Ausiku, the governor of the Kavango West region. The visit aimed to enhance productivity and resilience among farmers by transferring knowledge of the various production methods used in Namibia. The initiative followed recommendations from the Kavango West Agriculture Conference held in November 2024. Speaking during the visit, Ausiku reiterated the importance…

Allexer Namundjembo With the ongoing water crisis in the Oshikoto region where residents depend on boreholes and wells, the community of Onamishu in Eengodi Constituency has received upgraded wells to improve water supply. Eengodi regional councillor Protasius Neshuku on Monday told Windhoek Observer that the existing wells were modernised last month.  According to him, solar panels and a generator now power the wells to extract water more efficiently. “These are the traditional wells we have been using for ages, but they have been electrified by Rural Water Supply, and now it is an easy and fast process for the residents…