Lazarus Kwedhi
The ongoing demonstrations by unemployed teaching graduates demanding the government to abolish the interview process and implement mass recruitment are not surprising, 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. This trend is likely to continue if their demands are not addressed.
This issue is not complex. From a public policy perspective, it’s a classic case of market failure—caused by the very government decision-makers who, in their wisdom, saw it fit to reform the teacher training system. Specifically, they abolished and merged the public Colleges of Education—Windhoek, Rundu, and Ongwediva—into the University of Namibia (UNAM).
While the intentions behind this merger may have been noble, the consequences have become clear. The reform shifted financial burdens to parents and exposed graduate teachers to unemployment. The government replaced the direct placement model for graduates with an interview-based hiring model without properly balancing the supply and demand of teachers in the education sector. This miscalculation has affected both the public good and the training-to-employment pipeline, especially in a system where profit-driven private entities are allowed to operate freely.
Previously, the Colleges of Education served as government-funded training centers for the teaching profession in Namibia. These colleges were well subsidized, and student teachers did not have to worry about registration or tuition fees, accommodation, meals, transport, or internship opportunities. Most importantly, teacher unemployment and interviews for entry-level positions were not major concerns—graduates were automatically placed in teaching positions by the government.
The same placement model is still used in health training centers such as Onandjokwe, Windhoek, and Keetmanshoop, where enrolled nurses are usually trained. However, the same reform trend continues to these health training programs. Nursing graduates are also likely to suffer similar consequences soon or in the near future. Enrolled nurses may soon face 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, while the current system has introduced significant challenges. It raises serious questions about the rationale behind 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, as secondary schools continue to produce many students who fail to meet university admission requirements. Among the 40 757 learners who set for Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) examination in 2024, only 30% who were reported to have met admission requirements to universities While in the year 2020, 2021,2022 and 2023 respectively 80%, 79%, 65% were reported to have not attain sufficient grades for University admission requirements. 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. When reform is poorly planned, it leads to market inefficiencies and government failure. A free market system has its place in national development, but it can not replace the government’s 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 the balance, especially in protecting public goods. The market, by its nature, cannot self-correct in the face of imbalances in supply and demand—government intervention is essential.
However, intervention must be purposeful and effective. The current crisis is a result of 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 be offered at the 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 the police, defense, and health services remain under government control.
