Ministry of Education

 

 1. Reintroducing the Trimester System

 The Ministry plans to return to a trimester calendar for schools starting in 2025, reversing the two-semester system introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.([The Namibian][1])

A cohort system is being implemented for junior primary grades, with one group attending in the morning and another in the afternoon to address overcrowding and high pupil-to-teacher ratios.

2. Infrastructure Growth & Maintenance

 Over the past two years, the Ministry has built 1 022 classrooms , with additional new schools opening in Otavi, Swakopmund, Rehoboth, and soon at Henties Bay. 

In 2023/24 alone, approximately 510 classrooms and 77 sanitation facilities were completed at a cost of N\$225 million.

There is an ongoing plan to construct another 512 classrooms across the country.

3. Funding, Equity & Transparency

A new School Grant Policy (2021–2030) introduces a needs-based, formula-driven funding model to reduce disparities—especially between rural and urban schools—and ensure equity and accountability.([The Brief][3], [Future Media News][4])

Funding now considers learner numbers, socio-economic and geographical circumstances, curriculum needs, and vulnerability status.

 Schools must communicate budget allocations and expenditures transparently to parents, teachers, and learners.

 There's also a push to enhance financial management capacity at both school and regional levels.([The Brief][3], [Future Media News][4])

4. School Feeding Program Digitalization

 The Ministry, in partnership with the World Food Programme, launched the Namibia School Feeding Information System (NaSIS)in July 2023.

  Designed to improve oversight of the School Feeding Programme, which now serves over 400,000 pre-primary and primary pupils in 1,500 schools.

  Features include digital school rolls, electronic meal vouchers, attendance tracking, and business intelligence integration.

 5. Teacher-to-Learner Ratios & Staffing

As of 2023, the Ministry established new guidelines for class sizes:

  Pre-primary: max 25 learners per teacher.

  Junior primary (Grades 1–4): max 35 learners per teacher.

 Senior primary and secondary (Grades 5–12): max 40 learners per teacher.

 Options for managing overcrowding include additional classes, temporary classrooms, or a platoon (double-shift) system. The Ministry has also ceased recruitment of teachers without clearly defined specializations or instruction media, such as those whose credentials don’t specify junior primary pedagogy or teaching language.

6. Infrastructure Investment & Vandalism Issues

Over the last decade, more than N\$10 billion has been spent on capital projects, which includes constructing schools, hostels, and refurbishing dilapidated structures