Namibia is locking free university tuition behind higher grade requirements that kick in next year, and Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp says the government will only cover first-time undergrads at schools that hit new minimum standards set by the National Council for Higher Education. Bachelor's degrees require 26 points on the school-leaving certificate, while professional programs require 32 points, and postgrad students must score at least 60 percent average.
Former Prime Minister Nahas Angula thinks the whole thing is backwards because primary schools still lack basic teaching materials and proper desks, and he questions how kids can hit those entry targets when they cannot even get enough textbooks. Opposition figures are calling the policy contradictory since raising entry bars will shrink the pool of eligible students instead of expanding access.
The framework gives institutions three years to comply with staffing levels and governance benchmarks, but critics say this pushes more young people onto the streets rather than solving youth unemployment.
Former Prime Minister Nahas Angula thinks the whole thing is backwards because primary schools still lack basic teaching materials and proper desks, and he questions how kids can hit those entry targets when they cannot even get enough textbooks. Opposition figures are calling the policy contradictory since raising entry bars will shrink the pool of eligible students instead of expanding access.
The framework gives institutions three years to comply with staffing levels and governance benchmarks, but critics say this pushes more young people onto the streets rather than solving youth unemployment.
