Lahja Nashuuta
The newly appointed chief executive officer of the Namibia College of Open Learning (Namcol), Ngepathimo Kadhila, has expressed concern over the long-standing misconception that Namcol is only for students who failed in the formal education system.
He emphasised that this perception continues to harm the institution, discouraging prospective students from enrolling due to doubts about the value of its programmes.
He clarified that the college has met all quality assurance standards and is accredited by the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) and the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA).
In an interview with New Era this week, Kadhila said the misconception stems from the institution’s history. “When Namcol was established in 1998, its primary focus was to provide secondary education opportunities for students who had not passed their matric exams. At the time, Namibia had a high failure rate, and the government needed a solution for these pupils to ensure they didn’t end up on the streets without options,” Kadhila said.
However, he pointed out that Namcol’s mandate has always been broader than just secondary education. The institution was designed to offer professional, technical and vocational education, as well as general education programmes. Over the years, it has expanded its offerings to include tertiary and vocational training programmes.
“But the general public, having grown accustomed to Namcol providing secondary education, assumed that was its sole purpose,” Kadhila said. “When we introduced new programmes beyond high school education, some believed we were deviating from our original mandate. In reality, we have always had the authority to provide education at multiple levels, as long as we deliver it through open learning.”
He acknowledged that changing public perception remains a challenge. “We need to do more to educate people about our full mandate. The Namcol Act is a public document available online, and we encourage everyone to read it.”
Kadhila further noted that the misconceptions negatively impact enrolment in Namcol’s tertiary and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. Many potential students do not realise that Namcol’s TVET programmes are regulated by the NTA, ensuring that their qualifications are equivalent to those from other institutions.
Currently, Namcol has an enrolment of 30 000 students, with 26 000 of them pursuing secondary education to improve their grades. However, enrolment in tertiary and TVET programmes remains relatively low.
Kadhila emphasised the need for stronger public awareness campaigns to inform pupils, parents and stakeholders about Namcol’s diverse and accredited educational offerings.
Photo: Heather Erdmann