Education system in Namibia

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Structure of the Namibian education system (as of August 2014)
A classroom in Namibia

The education system in Namibia is based on 1920 schools with 804,079 students and 30,766 teachers as well as 16 state and private universities with 67,000 students and 86 vocational institutions with 35,000 trainees (as of April 2020). In addition, there are nationwide branches in Namibia of the Namibia College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), an adult and further education institution that offers schooling for those not of school age.

In addition to the general right to education (Art. 20, Paragraph 1), the Namibian constitution also regulates the duration of school attendance (Paragraph 3): no child should be allowed to leave school before they have completed seven years of primary school education or the age of 16 has reached. Admission to Grade 1 takes place in the year a child reaches the age of seven (Education Act 2001: 53 (1)). In practice, however, the children start school at the age of five to seven.

Basic education has been free in Namibia since the 2013 school year (previously it was the equivalent of around € 30 per trimester ), secondary schools have been free since the 2016 school year. The reintroduction of fees is planned (as of August 2017).

The education budget in the Namibian household is 13.1 billion Namibian dollars (2014/15), 100 percent more than in 2010/2011.

In 2011, 87 percent of school-age children attended school. The literacy rate in Namibia is 89%.

Educational reforms

Namibia has implemented three major educational reforms since independence in 1990.

Early 1990s

The first educational reform included changes to the curricula for junior secondary , the introduction of English as the general language of instruction, and changes to the qualifications for senior secondary , including the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) after grade 10. In addition, the IGCSE and HIGCSE were post- university of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate introduced with the 1995 graduate class.

2004 to 2006

The second educational reform implemented the abolition of the Cambridge qualifications and the introduction of the local qualifications Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) (class 10) and Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Higher (NSSCH) (class 12).

Since 2012

The current educational reform began in 2012 after a corresponding decision had been made at the education conference a year earlier. Among other things, the national qualifications are to be actually returned to equivalent Cambridge qualifications (including Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary for Cambridge Advanced Subsidiary ). In addition, the grade 10 degree is to be postponed to grade 9. The mother tongue instruction in all subjects up to and including the 5th grade will be introduced. In the future, a voluntary 13th school year should better prepare graduates for transfer to a university.

Among other things, the reform provides for the following points:

  • Lower primary school ( Junior Primary ; pre-school and grades 1–3): instruction in the mother tongue ; also compulsory subjects English, mathematics, environmental science, art, sport and religion - introduced in 2015
  • Upper Primary School ( Senior Primary ; Grades 4–7): Compulsory subjects are English, mother tongue , mathematics, natural sciences, health sciences, social sciences - introduced in 2016
  • Lower secondary school ( junior secondary ; Class 8 and 9): Required courses include English, mathematics, life sciences, physics, geography and history - 2017/18 introduced
  • Obere Obere Oberschule ( Senior Secondary ; Grades 10 to 12 and 13): Compulsory subjects are English and mathematics - introduced in 2019

school-system

Grade levels

A pupil's school development goes through four phases: Primary education is divided into pre-primary and junio primary, grades 0–3; formerly “Standard 1” and “Standard 2” as well as grades 1 and 2 ) and the higher primary school phase (senior primary, grades 4–7). This is where compulsory schooling ends and the transition to secondary school is possible. This in turn is divided into a lower (junior secondary, grades 8–10 - corresponding to the national qualification level (NQF) 2) and an upper secondary school phase (senior secondary, grades 11–12; NQF 3 and 4).

Private schools such as the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek deviate from this system.

Languages ​​of instruction

The language regulation for Namibian schools regulates the teaching languages ​​for Namibia. In grades 1 to 3, teaching should be in the mother tongue or the main language of the region. Every school must submit an application for classes in English to the Ministry of Education . In grade 4, the transition to English as the language of instruction should be created. In the following grades 5–7, English is the only language of instruction, but the mother tongue or main language can be used as a support. It must also be taught as a normal subject. Classes 8-12 are taught in English and the mother tongue or main language is the school subject.

In principle, the following languages ​​are permitted as first languages: Afrikaans , German , English, Ju'hoansi , Khoekhoegowab , OshiNdonga , RuKwangali , Setswana , Thimbukushu , OshiKwanyama , OtjiHerero , Rumanyo and Silozi . The second languages ​​to be taught are Afrikaans and English. Other languages ​​are to be offered after consultation with the ministry. As foreign languages are French , German and Portuguese offer. All languages ​​are basically the same language of instruction.

English is also a compulsory subject from class 1. Another language has to be learned from class 1. There are only exceptions for children of foreign workers and diplomats .

The private schools are free to choose the language of instruction in grades 1–7, whereby at least one Namibian national language must be taught and the subject of social studies must be offered in English.

Subjects and times

The canon of subjects in the primary and secondary school phase covers a broad spectrum of knowledge. While literacy, the acquisition of mathematical skills and a health, linguistic and religious education are in the foreground in the primary school, the secondary schools also offer science lessons. A classroom is usually assigned to a teacher, so that students have to change rooms almost every lesson.

Generally, at each level, students attend school Monday through Friday from around 7:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Some schools offer afternoon classes or care. A school lesson generally lasts 40 minutes.

rating

The evaluation of the student's performance by the teacher takes place differently in the individual grade levels: In the lower primary phase, the student's performance is continuously assessed, and there are no tests (continuous assessment). In all other grade levels, exams are taken at the end of each trimester. The exams in grades 7, 10 and 12 are of particular value. They complete the individual school phases and gain admission to the next higher level.

Students are assessed from grade 1 onwards using grades. These vary depending on the grade level and type of school, in the secondary levels a point system (0–15) comparable to the Gymnasiale Oberstufe is used, in some schools and levels a letter system (A – F) or percentage system is used. After each trimester, the student receives an information letter listing his grades.

Transfer

The transfer to the next school year takes place at the end of the last trimester, in December of that year. Within each school phases, the movement occurs automatically , sit a student can basically no longer. Students who do not successfully complete the 10th grade ( Junior Secondary Certificate ) (around 46 percent in 2015) have to leave the school system. Only students who were younger than 17 at the time of the exam are allowed to repeat grade 10. The 12th grade can be repeated at your own request.

degrees

Every 12th grade graduate receives the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC) after a nationwide uniform examination has been carried out. Failure is not possible. However, the 12th school year can be repeated voluntarily to improve the final grades. For Namibian universities , the NSSC is a higher education entrance qualification , but the universities can set their own minimum requirements. The international Advanced Level (A-Level) qualification can be obtained at some schools in a voluntary 13th grade.

Abroad, with the exception of the SADC region, the qualification of the Namibian secondary school is generally not recognized. In order to still obtain an internationally recognized university entrance qualification, an additional school leaving certificate must be achieved (e.g. the Abitur from the German Higher Private School or the International Baccalaureate ), which is only offered by private schools.

Since 2007, the internationally recognized Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education (HIGCSE ) degree awarded by the University of Cambridge has not been achieved after grade 12. Namibian graduates now also have to take special exams in order to be allowed to study in South Africa . For example, for university admission in South Africa, among other provisions, an examination result of at least five subjects at "Higher Level" and a minimum grade of 55% each is required.

Tertiary education

The tertiary education is in Namibia by vocational schools (English Vocational Education ) and Universities ensured.

Numbers and dates

All data from 2020. Trend to the previous reporting period 2018.

region student Teacher schools Students
per teacher
Erongo 48,341   1799   079   27  
Hardap 27,118   1014   060   27  
ǁKaras 23,573   0983   057   24  
Kavango East 68,284   2164   173   32  
Kavango West 45,804   1631   177   28  
Khomas 94,994   3921   132   24  
Kunene 32,194   1149   068   28  
Ohangwena 112,358   4149   270   27  
Grandmaheke 25.101   0887   047   28  
Omusati 102,823   4160   288   25  
Oshana 56.503   2387   147   24  
Oshikoto 74,597   3050   221   24  
Otjozondjupa 50,560   1743   086   29  
Zambezi 41,892   1729   115   24  
total 804.079   30,766   1920   26  

German engagement

Numerous schools in Namibia have German origins, offer lessons in German as their mother tongue or are partners in the initiative “Schools: Partners for the Future” PASCH of the Federal Foreign Office (status: 2014). Only the DHPS in Windhoek is a fully-fledged German school abroad .

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Implementation of the Revised Curriculum for Basic Education. Office of the Minister of Education, Ministry of Education; in: The Namibian, August 22, 2014, pp. C2 / C3.
  2. ^ Education Sector Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture / Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation. April 19, 2020.
  3. ^ Free education to fall. Namibian Sun, August 13, 2017.
  4. ↑ Namibia 2011 Population and Housing Census Indicators. ( Memento of October 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), Namibia Statistics Agency , March 2013 (PDF; 2.9 MB) accessed on March 29, 2013
  5. ↑ a b c d Press Statement on the Implementation of the Basic Education Reforms. Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, undated. Accessed June 25, 2020 (PDF)
  6. ↑ Minister ends speech gagging. Allgemeine Zeitung, March 14, 2014 ( memento of March 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) accessed on March 14, 2014
  7. ↑ Language regulation for schools in Namibia  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.mec.gov.na
  8. ↑ Grade 10 and 12 exam results improve slightly. Namibia Press Agency, December 16, 2015
  9. ↑ Two ways to success: the school leaving certificate at the DHPS. In: 100 years of DHPS. ( Memento from December 1, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 8.0 MB) Anniversary supplement in the Allgemeine Zeitung. Pp. 10-11. (School leaving certificates)
  10. ^ Namibia, Fifteenth School Day Report 2020. Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. ^ Namibia, Fifteenth School Day Report 2018. Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  12. ↑ World map of partner schools, PASCH-Net (PDF; 2.9 MB)