Staff Writer
When Maria Nghipandulwa graduated with a Bachelor of Education in 2022, her family believed years of sacrifice had finally paid off. Her framed certificate hangs on the wall of her parents’ home in Katutura. It remains a symbol of an achievement that has not yet translated into employment.
At 29, she told the Windhoek Observer that she has submitted more than 40 job applications.
“Schools say there are no posts or they want experience,” she said. “How do you get experience if no one gives you a first chance?”
Three years after graduating, she remains unemployed. She relies on temporary tutoring work and support from relatives.
Her situation reflects a wider reality. Namibia is spending record amounts on education, yet many graduates struggle to find work.
The 2026/27 national budget allocated N$28 billion to the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture.
The allocation is the largest in a national budget exceeding N$106 billion. About N$2.8 billion of this amount is earmarked for subsidised tertiary education to expand access to universities and vocational institutions. In the previous financial year, the same ministry received N$24.8 billion.
Education remains a national priority on paper. Many graduates say opportunity remains limited.
Petrus Amutenya (30) holds a degree in business administration. He has been unemployed for more than a year.
He said he applies for nearly every vacancy he finds but often cannot apply because employers require two to three years of experience.
“I have the qualification,” he said. “But it feels like you’re blocked before you even enter.”
Statistics show that youth unemployment in Namibia remains above 40% among people aged 15 to 34. This is far higher than the overall national unemployment rate.
While not all unemployed youth are graduates, analysts say degree holders are becoming a larger share of those struggling to enter the labour market as tertiary enrolment grows faster than economic expansion.
Labour economist Precious Martinus said the problem is structural.
“The economy is not expanding at a pace sufficient to absorb the number of graduates entering the labour market each year. We are producing more qualified individuals than the current economic structure can accommodate,” she said.
Recent economic growth has come largely from sectors such as mining and large infrastructure projects. These sectors generate revenue but create limited employment.
Manufacturing and large-scale industrial activity, which normally absorb more workers, remain underdeveloped.
Public sector hiring has also slowed due to fiscal pressure. Government employment was once viewed as a dependable pathway for graduates.
Internship programmes in ministries and state-owned enterprises have been promoted as entry points into the labour market.
Several graduates say these placements often end without permanent jobs.
Another graduate, Anna Kavekotora (26), completed a one-year internship in public administration in 2025. She was not retained after the contract ended.
“You gain experience,” she said. “But after the contract ends, you’re back to searching. There’s no clear transition into permanent employment.”
Business analyst Jacob Matengu says the situation has created what he calls an “experience trap.”
“When educated youth remain unemployed, the country loses productive potential. There is also social risk. Expectations are raised through education. When those expectations are not met, frustration grows,” said Matengu.
Analysts say expanding tertiary education without parallel industrial growth deepens the gap between qualifications and available jobs.
“It is not enough to invest heavily in education,” Matengu said.
“There must be simultaneous expansion in sectors capable of generating sustainable employment. Public sector employment alone cannot absorb all graduates.”
Entrepreneurship is often promoted as an alternative. Graduates say access to capital remains a major barrier.
“People say start a business,” Silvia Thomas, who is also an unemployed graduate, said. She has been unemployed for five years and recently started a hair salon.
“But banks want guarantees. We have degrees, not assets.”
For some graduates, long periods without work influence major life decisions.
“You start thinking about leaving the country,” Thomas said.
“You don’t want to, but you also cannot remain stagnant.”
Inside the National Assembly, education continues to receive the largest share of public spending.
Outside Parliament, many graduates continue searching for entry into a labour market that remains limited.
Each year thousands complete tertiary studies. Youth unemployment remains high.
Without job growth that can absorb new graduates, analysts warn the gap between empowerment policy and employment reality will continue to widen.
For Nghipandulwa, the issue has become personal rather than political.
“You’re told education is the key. But what happens when the door doesn’t open?” She questioned.
