Free tertiary education will only be available to first-time students at institutions and for programmes that adhere to new minimum national standards, including higher entry points.
This is according to a policy framework titled 'Minimum Standards for Higher Education Institutions in Namibia', published by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in October.
The policy document sets a unified benchmark for all tertiary education providers in the country.
The standards outline compulsory benchmarks for governance, staffing levels, student support services, financial safeguards and admission criteria.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Institutions that do not meet the requirements have three years within which to comply.
At the same time, the minimum national requirement for entry to a bachelor's degree has been set at a national school-leaving certificate adding up to 26 points.
For professional degrees, 32 points are required, 24 points for diplomas, and 19 for certificates.
For postgraduate entry (National Qualifications Framework levels 8 to 10), students will be required to obtain a 60% average or higher for the previous qualification.
Alternative pathways, including mature-age entry, may not exceed 10% of annual admissions per programme.
The institution will also be required to have experienced leadership (the vice chancellor or rector) to have 10 or more years in senior academic or research leadership.
Minister of education, innovation, sport, youth, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp last week said the government will only fund first-time undergraduate and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) students.
Funding will not be extended to students attempting second or lower-level qualifications, repeaters or non-Namibian citizens.
Steenkamp said these reforms, which come into effect from the 2026 academic year, are meant to direct limited resources to students pursuing their first primary qualifications, and to protect the integrity of Namibia's higher education system.
"We are prioritising the most critical phase of study, the first qualification, because this is what enables young people to enter the labour market and meaningfully participate in the economy," she said at a press conference in Windhoek last Monday.
The minister said students already funded through the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) will continue receiving support until they complete their studies.
The ministry also warned institutions against admitting students beyond their carrying capacity, saying this compromises quality.
Tuition and registration fees for eligible students at public institutions will not be charged in 2026, while private-institution fees will be handled under existing NSFAF rules.
SCEPTICAL
Former prime minister and basic education minister Nahas Angula says free tertiary education cannot succeed if schools continue to operate with a shortage of teaching materials and overcrowded classrooms.
He says the country is already struggling to sustain free primary education.
Teachers still lack basic instructional tools, enough textbooks, and proper desks and chairs.
"It is up to any university to determine entry requirements based on their facts. But you need to have proper instructional and educational material in the classrooms to enable the teacher to deliver.
"How do you expect them to learn to write when they don't have enough books? How do you expect them to learn basic skills?" Angula asks.
He says the government must confront affordability issues honestly.
While policy has abolished primary school fees, parents now have to provide long lists of stationery, because schools lack operational funding.
Angula says the burden has shifted rather than disappeared.
"Parents bear the cost of buying the lists of stationery required by teachers as the state doesn't not want them to pay school fees," he says.
Angula says he believes the state is basing its decisions on the expected revenue from the oil and gas industry, but that this industry will take time to generate income.
He says the economy is affected by real diamonds being challenged by artificial diamonds, while uranium is facing its own challenges.
Opposition leaders say the push for free tertiary education is clashing with the newly fixed entry standards, which could reduce the number of eligible students rather than expand access.
'SCARY'
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) spokesperson Imms Nashinge says the minimum points are "scary" and questions whether the government conducted benchmarking studies before accepting NCHE's recommendations.
He says the new framework risks excluding thousands of pupils while doing little to address youth unemployment.
"Will this change the number of unemployed graduates on the streets if fewer are able to enter university?" Nashinge asks.
He says the education system lacks consistency and stability, and that key decisions continue to disrupt progress instead of creating clear, long-term direction.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Landless People's Movement (LPM) Youth Command leader Duminga Ndala says the new requirements ignore the reality most schools are faced with.
Teachers have not been properly trained for the revised curriculum, she says, and pupils still lack materials needed to understand the new content.
"Increasing the entry requirements for tertiary education means we are going to push more pupils into the streets. A lot of them will not meet the minimum requirements as they do not have learning materials," Ndala says.
She says the LPM is hoping for broad-ranging stakeholder engagement and studies that prove Namibia can afford to increase its university entry requirements.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian's morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours - occasionally with a light, witty touch. It's an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
