Keypoints:
- Free higher education begins in 2026
- Policy covers public universities and colleges
- Move aims to support Namibian youth
NAMIBIA will eliminate tuition and registration fees at all public universities and technical colleges beginning in 2026, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced Thursday in her first State of the Nation address.
Delivering her speech to Parliament, Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed that the government will fully subsidise tertiary education at state institutions starting with the next academic year. The initiative comes amid mounting calls for education reforms in the southern African nation.
‘I am pleased to announce that from the next academic year, commencing 2026, tertiary education will become 100% subsidised by the government,’ she said, as reported by AP.
Namibia already offers free education at public primary and secondary schools, though families still shoulder the costs of uniforms, supplies, and accommodation. The new policy will now remove tuition and registration fees at higher education institutions for all eligible students.
President says policy answers youth calls
The move follows years of lobbying from civil society groups and student unions demanding fully subsidised education to combat exclusion and economic inequality.
‘We have heard your cries,’ the president said during her address. She explained that the decision is meant to create more opportunity for Namibia’s large youth population, especially as the country grapples with high unemployment.
According to official figures cited by AP, around 2.1 million of Namibia’s 3 million people are under the age of 35, making youth-focused reforms particularly urgent.
The policy will cover two public universities and all seven government-run vocational training centres, which will stop charging tuition and registration fees from 2026.
Milestone for Namibia’s first female leader
The announcement marks a significant policy breakthrough under President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who last month became Namibia’s first female head of state. Her education pledge signals a commitment to social investment and long-term human development.
The reform was met with praise from education advocates and analysts, who called it a landmark moment in Namibia’s pursuit of equitable access to learning.
While further details on the funding model are expected, the president’s declaration has set the tone for an administration focused on expanding opportunity and tackling youth disadvantage.
