Established in 1998, the Namibia College of Open Learning (Namcol) has evolved significantly from its initial mandate of accommodating secondary learners seeking to improve their marks. Over the years, it has expanded to include Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as well as tertiary education. This week, New Era journalist Lahja Nashuuta (LN) engaged with the newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Namcol, Ngepathimo Kadhila (NK), to discuss his vision for the institution.
LN: To begin with, who is Ngepathimo Kadhila? Please share your educational background?
NK: I am an educationalist by profession. I obtained my first degree, a Bachelor of Education, specialising in high school teaching. My master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction and Assessment is also from the University of Namibia. Additionally, I hold a Post-graduate Diploma in Higher Education from Rhodes University, and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of the Free State.
My career started as a teacher before I joined the Namibia Qualifications Authority, where I was introduced to quality assurance in education. I later moved to the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) to establish a quality assurance unit, and subsequently joined the University of Namibia (Unam), where I became the pioneer of its Quality Assurance Unit. At Unam, I progressed from Quality Assurance Coordinator to Deputy Director and finally Director of the Centre for Quality Assurance and Management before taking up my current role at Namcol.
I have also completed short-term programmes in leadership and business management from Stellenbosch University, higher education leadership training with Cardiff University, and many other professional development courses.
LN: As a leading institution in open and distance learning, how crucial is Namcol’s role in Namibia’s education landscape?
NK: We take pride in calling Namcol “The People’s College” because it is a public institution established by an Act of Parliament (Act No. 1 of 1997) and officially opened in 1998. Namcol was developed to provide professional, vocational and general education programmes to adults and out-of-school youth.
A common misconception is that Namcol was established solely to support secondary school-learners. However, our mandate extends far beyond that—we offer programmes at multiple levels to cater for diverse educational needs. This makes Namcol instrumental in contributing to the social and economic development of Namibia.
We follow the principles of open learning, which means removing barriers to education. Regardless of age, location or prior learning experiences, Namcol provides opportunities for all Namibians to access education through flexible learning platforms.
LN: Since its inception, what have been some of Namcol’s major success stories?
NK: Since opening its doors in 1998, Namcol has made significant strides in fulfilling its mandate of taking education to the people. We are now one of the leading open, distance and e-learning institutions in Namibia.
Many individuals who enrolled at Namcol, particularly those who needed a second chance at secondary education, have successfully pursued tertiary education at institutions both locally and internationally. Some of our former students are now parliamentarians, government officials and entrepreneurs. This demonstrates Namcol’s meaningful contribution to Namibia’s social and economic development.
Namcol has likewise expanded its footprint, currently operating four regional offices, each sub-divided into sub-regional offices. These offices allow us to reach learners in all corners of the country.
LN: There has been a perception that Namcol primarily serves students who struggle academically. Do you think this perception still holds, or has it changed over the years?
NK: While it is true that Namcol was initially focused on helping secondary school-leavers who did not perform well in mainstream education, our mandate has always been broader. Over the years, we have expanded our offerings to include professional, vocational and tertiary programmes.
Unfortunately, the outdated perception persists. We need to educate the public about Namcol’s full scope. The institution was not solely created for secondary education—it was designed to offer diverse programmes at different levels to meet the needs of all Namibians. We encourage people to review the Namcol Act, which is available online, to better understand our role.
LN: Namcol recently introduced tertiary and TVET courses. How have these programmes been received?
NK: The lingering misconceptions about Namcol have impacted the uptake of our tertiary and TVET programmes. Many prospective students do not realise that our TVET programmes are regulated by the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), and are equivalent to those offered by other institutions in the country.
Similarly, our tertiary programmes are accredited by the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA). The qualifications obtained from Namcol are comparable to those from any other tertiary institution in Namibia. We encourage prospective students, especially working professionals seeking flexible learning options, to consider Namcol.
LN: What are some of the challenges Namcol faces?
NK: Many of our challenges are not unique to Namcol, but affect the education sector as a whole. The biggest challenges include
Financial Constraints, as expanding access to education across Namibia requires significant financial resources. Setting up offices in remote areas to serve small student populations pose sustainability challenges.
Digital Divide: While we leverage technology for learning, internet connectivity remains inconsistent in some areas, limiting students’ access to online resources.
Technological Know-How: Effective use of digital learning tools requires both students and tutors to be technologically-proficient. Some struggle to adapt, which affects their learning experience.
LN: Are you satisfied with Namcol’s enrolment figures?
NK: Namcol is one of the institutions with the highest enrolment rates in Namibia. This year, we have over 30,000 students enrolled. However, secondary education accounts for the largest portion, with about 26 000 students, while tertiary and TVET programmes enrol about 3 000 and fewer than 100 students, respectively.
The high number of secondary students indicates that mainstream education is still struggling to produce enough graduates who meet university entry requirements. We hope to see improvements in general education performance, which would reduce the number of secondary students at Namcol, while increasing enrolments in our tertiary and TVET programmes.
That said, access alone is not our goal—success is. We measure our success not by enrolment numbers, but by how many lives we transform through education.
LN: Finally, what is your vision for Namcol over the next five to 10 years?
NK: My vision is to build upon my predecessors’ achievements and take Namcol to greater heights. I want to see Namcol become a reputable, internationally- recognised open, distance and e-learning institution, not just serving Namibians, but also catering to students from across Africa and beyond.
Our model is similar to institutions like the Botswana Open University, Zimbabwe Open University and Mauritius Open University, which evolved from colleges into fully-fledged open universities. I envision Namcol following the same trajectory, strengthening our regional centres, expanding international outreach and incorporating emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence into our learning systems.
Namcol has an open-door policy, and we encourage stakeholders, parents and students to engage with us. We are a public institution, and our mission is to serve the people of Namibia.
LN: Thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing Namcol’s progress under your leadership.
NK: Thank you, and I appreciate the opportunity to share Namcol’s vision and achievements.