One of the reasons for taking up arms and sacrifice the lives of many Namibians was to change and improve the inferior education system offered by the colonialists to the indigenous peoples of Namibia. 

After independence, the government made some strides in efforts to make education available to every Namibian, hence the publication of the booklet, “Education for All,” which outlines the main four goals of education. 

In addition, the educator sector has been swallowing the large chunk of the national budget. However, despite these noble goals in education, many challenges have surfaced which are almost collapsing the education, characterised by high failure every year. 

What is perhaps most frightening is the mushrooming of tertiary institutions, which are actually duplicating one another in terms of courses and programmes offered. This scenario leads to a situation where many tertiary institutions are losing students, as they are competing for meagre resources. 

What should also be taken into consideration is the fact that Namibia is a young nation and is sparsely populated. Some leaders of these emerging tertiary institutions, including many national leaders, have never transversed and crisscrossed this vast country, let alone conducting any feasible study before they open these institutions. 

As for now, it is not easy to cry over spilt milk as many leaders of these institutions had desktop research and went ahead with opening and running them. Suggestions as how to mitigate the challenges facing them might be too late, but it is worth trying in solving some of the hurdles.

In terms of attracting students, the institutions should come up with new courses and programmes which are attractive and appealing to students, especially in terms of job-seeking opportunities. In this case, these institutions should try to minimise saturated courses and programmes offered by other centres of learning. 

On theoretical courses, it could be argued that it is compulsory to teach them, but an alternative could be sought. Yes, it is good to know one’s history, but the course could be treated as an elective in these institutions and replaced with practical and valuable courses. 

New courses and programmes may again scare students, especially if they are not sure whether the course or programme will land them a comfortable job. 

Many developing countries are shifting from theory-based courses to vocational and technical courses and programmes which offer both developmental skills and self-reliant jobs. 

Yet, one of the challenges tertiary institutions are facing is a lack of funding, which ultimately grounds many of them. It is quite strange that many tertiary institutions are failing to practise what they teach. In order to generate funds, tertiary institutions should engage in agricultural and other business projects like horticulture in order to produce vegetables, potatoes and other products which can be sold in order to raise money to sustain themselves financially.

It is true that in some cases, tertiary institutions are involved in consultancy and research services, but “going back to the land” might be simple and in some aspects very cheap. 

Still, these down-to-earth projects will eventually increase and improve food security in the country. 

It is equally possible for these institutions to come up with new agricultural projects in which many varieties of crops are experimented and grown on a large scale, and sold to other countries. 

In this case, very little has been done to find out whether cassava and cashew nut can do very well in Namibian soils. 

Tertiary institutions can take a lead in these agricultural endeavours, both for money and home consumption. In all of these challenges, the hurdle to increase the number of students on a regular basis is always a nightmare among many leaders of these emerging tertiary institutions.

This is true if one looks at the dwindling catchment area, coupled with the fewer number of Namibians as a whole. 

Adding to this hurdle is the mushrooming of tertiary institutions, of which some are simply passing students in order to attract and increase large numbers of students without due consideration of the quality of education. 

Another challenge is to try and unseat the old tradition and culture of well-established and funded institutions in terms of attracting new students. 

What some of the emerging tertiary institutions are doing is to lower the educational standards, which is tantamount to academic suicide for the country. 

Whatever educational blunder these emerging tertiary institutions are committing will affect the quality of education, and in the long run have an impact on the development of the country and the future generations. 

This means young Namibians will fail to compete with their counterparts in SADC countries and beyond. 

It is a situation Namibia is currently facing, in which its young citizens are being pushed into the educational doldrums. 

Qualification awarding bodies should also investigate the quality of lecturers being absorbed into these emerging tertiary institutions. 

This challenge can be mitigated with ease if the authorities can scrutinise each newly-formed tertiary institution, and if found not meeting the requirements at that level, should be stopped from operations. 

Infrastructure in all emerging tertiary institutions should be provided with up-to-date facilities, as these attract students who will ultimately bring in the much-needed cash for paying lecturers and funding other projects which can market the institution. 

These initiatives call for commitment from all stakeholders and owners of the newly-formed institutions.