Isabel Bento
SWAKOPMUND – Nationwide consultations are underway to revise Namibia’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) policy as government prepares to transfer its mandate to the education ministry (MEIYSAC).
The review process is grounded in the Basic Education Act, which provides that the ECD policy must be developed and administered under the education ministry. The formal transfer is scheduled to take effect from 1 January 2027.
Speaking during the first consultation session held in Erongo on Tuesday, MEIYSAC chief education officer and educational psychologist Ronel Busch said the exercise does not introduce a new policy framework, but rather realigns the existing one to reflect legislative and institutional changes following the mandate shift.
The revision aims to ensure that young children receive optimal developmental support and foundational learning to prepare them for a successful educational journey. It also seeks to strengthen the integration of health and nutrition interventions and to create smoother transitions along the education continuum from ECD through to Grade 12.
“When the mandate shifted to the ministry of education, it became essential to reopen and revise the policy so that it reflects current realities, with focus placed more formally on strengthening the support network around the ECD phases to improve early experiences for children,” she said.
Busch underscored that improved outcomes would require a strengthened regulatory and quality assurance framework, including updated standards, enhanced teacher qualifications and robust monitoring mechanisms. She further cited research showing that sustained investment in early childhood development delivers high long-term returns in human capital formation and broader national development.
“Resources are needed to generate a return. If we invest sufficiently in children at a young age, the long-term value for the nation is significant,” she added.
Erongo governor Natalia /Goagoses said the concurrent and systematic scale-up of pre-primary education in schools will facilitate the full absorption of children aged five to six years.
She noted that the broader expansion of pre-primary education under MEIYSAC will be rolled out over the next two years.
Government also plans to significantly increase investment in the sector, including the introduction of a per-child grant for children aged three to five years, aimed at incentivising quality improvements at ECD centre level.
-Nampa