Justicia Shipena
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the government will be strict in identifying students who qualify for financial support beyond tuition and registration fees under the free tertiary education programme.
Speaking during an engagement with youth in Ondangwa over the weekend, Nandi-Ndaitwah clarified that the state will only cover tuition and registration costs for students entering universities and vocational training centres.
Earlier this year, during her inaugural State of the Nation Address, she announced that the country will introduce free tertiary education at public institutions starting in the 2026 academic year.
“Anyone who qualifies to go to vocational training or university, your tuition and registration are going to be covered by the state,” she said.
She emphasised that the program does not imply that education will be entirely free.
“It is a big misunderstanding when some say free education. I was very clear: I did not talk about free education; I spoke about registration and tuition fees. That is what the government is going to cover, as parents take care of accommodation and transport (S&T),” Nandi-Ndaitwah explained.
She assured that students from low-income families will not be excluded, saying the government recognises the social realities facing many Namibians.
“We know our social status in this country. There are those who are down on the ladder of our economy, and such people’s children will not be denied the opportunity to pursue further education because they cannot afford it,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the system will be closely monitored to ensure fairness.
“It is going to be very strict to make sure we are really helping those who need to be helped. This is not a welfare state but a caring state, and a caring state must serve those who are honest and caring,” she said.
Since her announcement in April, the Ministry of Education has launched a national task force to lead the rollout of free tertiary education at public institutions.
The task force is developing a roadmap, expected by August 2025, to guide how the subsidy will be phased in.
The deputy minister of education, Dino Ballotti, previously assured the public that the planned free tertiary education will not disadvantage students enrolled at private institutions.
Political analysts, however, have urged the government to first address the root causes of unemployment before implementing the policy.
The youth make up the majority of Namibia’s population. According to the 2023 census, out of a total population of three million, about 2.1 million are young people.
