Sakaria Johannes
Namibia’s recent commitment to introducing free tertiary education in 2026 has been met with a mix of optimism and scepticism. On the surface, it appears to be a bold and progressive move, one that seeks to remove financial barriers and make higher education accessible to all citizens regardless of their socio-economic background. Education, undeniably, is a powerful tool for transformation. It can lift individuals out of poverty, equip them with knowledge and skills, and foster innovation and growth. However, the context in which Namibia is making this decision raises pressing concerns about whether free tertiary education, in isolation, is the right solution or merely a politically convenient gesture.
Namibia is already grappling with an overwhelming unemployment crisis. According to the 2023 Namibia Labour Force Survey, the overall unemployment rate stands at 36.9%, with youth unemployment soaring at 41.9%. These figures paint a grim reality where even those who have obtained degrees and diplomas remain idle in the streets, unable to secure formal employment. Often, graduates work in positions far below their qualifications or remain unemployed for years. There is a growing disconnect between education and employment, a mismatch that questions the sustainability of producing more graduates without expanding the economy to absorb them.
This raises a critical point: who is going to employ the growing number of graduates? Free education, without parallel investments in job creation and economic diversification, risks becoming an exercise in futility. The job market is already saturated with qualified individuals competing for limited opportunities. Many young people pursue higher education not necessarily out of passion or career alignment but out of necessity, clinging to the hope that a degree might offer a path out of poverty. But degrees alone are no longer enough in an economy that struggles to grow and innovate.
Instead of focusing solely on expanding tertiary education access, there should be a stronger emphasis on developing industries that can generate jobs. Agriculture, for instance, holds immense potential. Namibia has vast tracts of arable land, yet it remains underutilised. Imagine if young agriculture graduates were given access to land and supported with subsidies, training, and infrastructure, like how the South African government historically empowered poor Boer farmers in Namibia during the early 20th century.
Those farmers went on to build sustainable farming enterprises and contributed significantly to the agricultural economy. Why can’t Namibia adopt a similar model today, tailored to its current socio-economic reality?
Furthermore, we can draw lessons from countries like Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. These nations did not simply educate their populations; they aligned education with national development strategies. In Singapore, education policy is tightly integrated with economic planning. Skills taught in schools and universities are constantly updated to meet the demands of key industries like biotechnology, finance, and information technology. South Korea, meanwhile, invested heavily in research, technology, and manufacturing, ensuring that its graduates had a dynamic and growing economy to integrate into. These countries placed equal emphasis on technical and vocational training, recognising that not every young person needs to be channelled into academic degrees to be successful.
Namibia must adopt a more holistic approach, one that balances education with employment. This means investing in infrastructure, supporting local entrepreneurship, building industrial capacity, and modernising agriculture. Young people must be given tools not only to learn but also to produce, innovate, and contribute to the economy. Providing land to young graduates in fields like agriculture, environmental science, and rural development can revitalise the countryside and reduce urban migration and unemployment. Similarly, targeted investment in sectors such as renewable energy, tourism, fisheries, and technology can help diversify the economy and create sustainable jobs.
The country must be careful not to implement policies that appear appealing on paper but lack meaningful impact in practice. While free tertiary education may score political points and make headlines, it is no silver bullet for Namibia’s socio-economic challenges. Education should be part of a broader national development plan that includes job creation, industrialisation, land reform, and support for innovation and entrepreneurship.
In conclusion, free tertiary education in Namibia is a commendable policy, but it must be more than a symbolic gesture. Without a solid strategy to create jobs and grow the economy, it risks becoming yet another promise that fails to deliver. The goal should not simply be to increase the number of graduates but to empower citizens with the means to apply their knowledge meaningfully. True transformation will only come when education is matched by opportunity.
Sakaria Johannes is a political science and history graduate from the University of Namibia (Unam). He can be reached at sackyuutsi@gmail.com.
