Africa's education system is failing its youth, and urgent action is needed.
This was the message by Member of Parliament Utaara Mootu at the National African Students Association (NASA)'s regional conference yesterday.
The event, which also marked the Day of the African Child, was held under the theme 'Africa's Future Now: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders & Reimagining Africa's Learning System'.
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It brought together students and youth leaders across Namibia and the region to speak out on problems facing education in Africa.
In her keynote speech, Mootu said Namibia's education system still carries the weight of colonial history and deep inequality.
"Africa has the youngest population in the world, yet our systems continue to disempower us. In Namibia, students are writing exams under trees, without desks or dignity. Some learners even write in the sand," she said.
She sharply criticised how education funds are spent.
Mootu said over 80% of the national education budget goes to salaries, while less than 4% is used for school buildings and infrastructure.
About 13% goes toward books and learning materials.
Mootu said some schools in regions like Kavango East and West still have no proper resources.
She stressed that the problem is not only about funding, but poor management and misplaced priorities.
Mootu warned that pushing for free education without proper planning could lead to poor-quality schooling.
She said that in other countries, poorly managed free education systems have collapsed under pressure.
She called on lawmakers and all stakeholders to take urgent action to close policy gaps, improve transparency, and invest in proper infrastructure.
The conference included discussions on Pan-Africanism, leadership and education reform, supporting NASA's mission to empower young Africans and challenge injustice in education.
The Day of the African Child, marked every year on 16 June, remembers the 1976 Soweto Uprising when South African students protested for better education.
The day honours the ongoing struggle for equal access and dignity in education across Africa.
