When Namibia’s first female President, Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, announced that tertiary and vocational education would be free starting in 2026, the nation erupted with hope, pride, and curiosity. 

This is a breakthrough for students and families who struggle with registration fees and acquiring student loans. 

It also signals that the government wants to empower the youth and help uplift the country’s human capital.

But excitement comes with many questions, such as “What about thousands of graduates who have already acquired qualifications but have no jobs? What about unemployed citizens who are not students?”

Most interestingly, I wonder whether Vision 2030, which is rapidly approaching, is achievable?

Will the new subsidised education policy realistically help achieve those national goals, especially with unemployment continuing to rise? As the promise of free education moves closer to reality, it is crucial to delve deeper into its impact on the broader socio-economic landscape of Namibia.

Free tertiary and vocational education mark a turning point in Namibia’s history. For decades, access to higher education has been unequal, largely depending on household income. Starting in 2026, the barrier will be removed. This means no undergraduate will stay at home because tertiary and vocational education will be free.

The President’s decision acknowledges that education is not a privilege but a national investment, an attempt to give opportunities to everyone, regardless of socio-economic background.

However, as transformative as this policy is, “education alone does not equal employment.”

Across the country, on a daily basis, I hear the stories of young graduates hoping to find jobs. Many end up in the informal sector, selling goods on the street, doing odd jobs, and unfortunately turning to crime, which has also increased significantly in the past few years.

Several factors contribute to this crisis, including a stagnant economy still recovering from previous shocks, slow private sector job growth, limited support for youth entrepreneurship, and skills mismatches between students’ studies and the needs of the country. 

Ultimately, free education will inspire hope in future students, but unemployed graduates will stay lost as they battle to find purpose in an economy that cannot support them.

Namibia’s unemployment rate, especially youth unemployment, is one of Namibia’s biggest challenges. It threatens not only economic growth but also social stability. A country cannot realise its development dreams when its young people are frustrated, indolent, and losing hope in the system.

The Founding President Sam S. Nujoma, introduced “Vision 2030,” a national blueprint aiming to make Namibia a developed State by the year 2030. 

But with only a few years left, and as calculated, four years remaining, many Namibians are now questioning whether these goals are still realistic, especially with unemployment remaining high and increasing every year. The economic growth is inconsistent and erratic.

So, does making education free help Namibia move closer to Vision 2030? Yes indeed, but only to a limited extent. Without an employment pathway and economic expansion, free education alone will not achieve the dream envisioned by Founding President.

To ensure that free education contributes to Vision 2030 and does not worsen unemployment, the government and the private sector must work together to align education with industry’s needs, and universities and vocational centres must offer programmes that match emerging markets, for instance, such as green hydrogen, renewable energy, or artificial intelligence. 

Secondly, Namibia must expand industrialisation process and add value to Namibia’s raw materials, thereby creating thousands of jobs.

The President’s announcement of free tertiary and vocational education in 2026 is historic, inspiring, and potentially transformative. It opens doors that were once closed and gives young Namibians a fairer chance at success, but education without the possibility of employment is an “unfinished promise.” 

For Vision 2030 to become more than just a dream, Namibia must pair free education with aggressive job creation strategies and industrial growth as well as youth empowerment. Only then will the nation truly honour the vision set by our late Founding President, Dr. Sam Nujoma, and secure a vigorous future for the next generation.

*Jivan G M Gariseb is a public relations officer for the UNAM Political Science Society