Namibia has just announced the results for learners who sat for the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCO), commonly referred to as Grade 11, and the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS), popularly known as Grade 12. This period is always emotionally charged, as thousands of young Namibians stand at the threshold of a critical transition in their lives — from school to higher education, vocational training, or the uncertain terrain of unemployment.
It is a time that demands sensitivity, clarity and responsibility from institutions of higher learning, funding bodies and policymakers alike. Unfortunately, the current state of affairs surrounding university admission requirements and student funding arrangements is anything but clear. Instead, the prevailing modus operandi risks deepening confusion and anxiety among learners and parents who are already navigating an emotionally fragile phase.
For many years, Unam has maintained a minimum admission requirement of 25 points at Grade 12 level for most of its programmes. This threshold is widely known and has long been accepted as part of the institution’s academic standards. It is also a matter of public record that Unam’s minimum entry requirements are generally higher than those of some other public and private institutions, which accept students with as few as 22 points across six subjects, depending on the programme.
Whether Unam’s requirements are too high or appropriately is a separate discussion, consistency and alignment across public institutions should be non-negotiable — especially where public funding is involved. This is where the confusion becomes both glaring and troubling.
Recently, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) announced funding requirements (26 points) that is higher than the admission requirements of Unam itself. This raises serious and urgent questions. If a learner meets the university’s entry criteria but falls short of NSFAF’s funding threshold, what happens next? Who is expected to fund the remainder of that student’s education? Are we, as a country, implicitly telling academically qualifying students that admission alone is not enough — that access to education is effectively determined by financial gatekeeping?
This misalignment suggests an exclusionary system that disproportionately disadvantages learners from poor and working-class backgrounds. For many Namibian families, self-funding university education is simply not an option. When funding criteria exceed admission criteria, the system creates a cruel paradox: students are academically “good enough” to study, but financially “not good enough” to be supported.
Equally concerning is the persistent lack of clarity around the much-touted concept of free or subsidised education.
What exactly is subsidised? Is it tuition only, or does it include accommodation, registration, books and living expenses? What percentage of the cost is covered by NSFAF and how much is the student or their family expected to contribute?
The absence of clear, accessible and consistent information fuels unrealistic expectations on one hand and deep frustration on the other. Parents and learners are left to piece together information from social media posts, hearsay and last-minute announcements — a dangerous approach when life-altering decisions are at stake.
Education is a public good and a cornerstone of national development. When systems meant to support young people instead overwhelm them with uncertainty, the country risks losing not only talent, but hope.
This moment calls for urgent inter-institutional alignment between universities, NSFAF and the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and the universities. Admission criteria, funding thresholds and subsidy frameworks must speak to one another coherently. Above all, communication must be clear, timely and humane.
Young Namibians deserve more than mixed messages at one of the most decisive moments of their lives. They deserve a system that is transparent, fair and genuinely invested in their future.
