A new report by Unicef has amplified a myriad of challenges faced by children living in Namibia, like a lack of access to early childhood development and missing routine immunisation.
The same report by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) also delves into the avalanche of opportunities, including access to education, social safety nets and healthcare benefits available to the Namibian child.
In essence, the report by Unicef’s Namibia social policy manager Jacob Nyamadzawo provides a close analysis on the state of children in Namibia.
He made the presentation to lawmakers recently, following the tabling of the record-breaking N$100 billion budget by finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi a fortnight ago.
The report states that on the academic front, enrolment in pre-primary education is at 38.8%, while the net enrolment rate for primary school is 97%.
From these figures, about 92.2% of children in Namibia complete their primary education.
However, only 46% of them complete their secondary education.
What is apparent, however, is that at around 23%, Namibia’s spending on education is relatively higher than that of its peers.
“Education spending [in Namibia] is also high, relative to other Eastern and Southern African regions (ESAR). At N$18.3 billion, the 2024/25 allocation is 8.7% higher than 2023/24, and 4.1% in real
terms.
At US$1.378, per capita, it is also higher than the upper middle-income country (UMIC) average. Combined with higher education (N$4.7 billion), [the] total education allocation is 23.1% of the total budget. [The] allocation is relatively high in relation to the SDG4 spending targets of 20%, and 6% of gross domestic product targets,” Nyamadzawo stated.
When broken down, primary education accounts for the largest share of the education ministry’s budget, with pre-primary education being allocated N$816.5 million, or 4.4% of the total budget.
Meanwhile, the development budget has been increased to 5% of the ministry’s budget, up from the 3.4% in 2023/24. These funds go to classroom construction, renovations, hostels and other capital.
All in all, employment costs account for the largest share of the budget at 79%.
“There are increasing calls for Namibia to double its investment in foundational requirements for learning for better outcomes, and in line with transforming education. [The] construction of these schools needs to be informed by equity considerations. Ohangwena, Kavango East and West, Khomas and Omusati account for a combined 73% of the classroom deficit nationwide,” the report revealed.
It further pointed to some existing bottlenecks within the ministry’s budgeting and execution thereof.
“Over the six-year period, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture overspent its budget by an annual average of 1.8%. However, there was under-expenditure of N$23.6 million and N$44.8 million in 2018/19 and 2019/20, respectively, albeit a cumulative over-expenditure of N$1.6 billion,” the report added.
The development budget experiences the twin challenge of being small and having a relatively low execution rate, with average execution of 97.2% annually, the lowest being 90% in 2018/19.
“Overspending on employment tends to crowd out development budget spending, which needs further analysis to resolve the existing bottlenecks,” Nyamadzawo added.
The ministry’s executive director has not responded to a request for comment at the time of going to print.
Poverty
A closer analysis of the report reveals that a symbiotic relationship between access to healthcare, poverty and food security exists.
According to Unicef, 53.1% of children in Namibia live in multi-dimensional poverty, while 43.3% of the population is living in multi-dimensional poverty.
It is further stated that 17.4% of the population is living in monetary poverty, while 20.6% of children are living in poverty.
Moving onto the health front, 97% of all children are fully-vaccinated. The coverage for Measles and Rubella stands at 63%, while that of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmissions (PMTCT) is at 95%.
Meanwhile, the neonatal mortality rate is high at 19.4 per one thousand live births, while 8 832 children missed routine immunisations in 2023.
As for nutrition, “micronutrient deficiencies affect more than 169 957 children under five nationally, delaying their growth, weakening their immune systems and impairing their brain development.”
Like on education, Unicef also agrees that the government’s spending on health and social services is relatively high.
“At N$10.9 billion, the 2024/25 allocation is 9.2% higher than 2023/24, and 4.8% in real terms. [The] total health expenditure is estimated at 14.5% of total budget, and 4.8% of GDP. [The] allocation is slightly below the target of 15% of total budget. Namibia’s per capita health spending of nearly US$400 is higher than the average Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) amount of US$117,” the report said.
However, it is on the return on investment where the government is found wanting, particularly due to poor budgetary execution and overspending.
“[The] Ministry of Health and Social Services’ (MoHSS) budget is curative- focused. Curative and clinical healthcare accounts for a significantly high share of the budget. The primary healthcare focus could be strengthened, in line with the government policy. Meanwhile, the development budget accounts for a relatively small share of the budget (4%). Theree is little expenditure on research and innovation, while employment costs take up to 51% of the MoHSS budget,” said the report.
Over the past six years, MoHSS has overspent its budget by N$1.2 billion, an annual average of 2.4%. This perennial over-expenditure can be attributed to overspending on employment, averaging 7% annually.
The development budget experiences the twin challenge of being small and low on execution, with average execution of 87.2% annually, the lowest being 77.4% in 2021/22.
“In essence, the MoHSS is moving money from the development budget to employment costs, potentially contributing to shortages of health infrastructure and equipment, and the quality thereof,” another damning Unicef finding reads.
Responding to the Unicef analysis, health executive director Ben Nangombe said such a conclusion can only be inferred by an individual with limited understanding of the State Finance Act, and how public entities run their financial affairs.
“Virementing funds (an administrative transfer of funds from one part of a budget to another) between votes in public entities is provided for in the State Finance Act. There is nothing unusual about it. It is not only the Ministry of Health and Social Services which would from time to time virement funds from one vote to the other,” he stressed.
He further said “virementation is done depending on the progress made on a particular project. I don’t know whether the analyst would suggest that we would allow money to return to the Treasury while we have made an analysis that the funds that are being viremented can be used for a better purpose,” Nangombe observed.
Safety nets
Namibia’s social safety net, the renowned buffer shielding the most vulnerable members of society, has been lauded in the Unicef report.
“At N$8 billion, the 2024/25 allocation is 23.2% higher than 2023/24. Social protection spending is also high, relative to other ESAR countries. At 3% of GDP, [Namibia] is among the top three countries in ESAR on social protection,” Unicef found.
Cognisant of the high cost of living, Shiimi allocated N$825 million towards social safety nets.
He also set aside N$824.7 million “to maintain the real value of the social safety nets in the face of high inflation, and given the high dependence ratio”.
The former central bank governor explained that the social safety nets’ budget was an extraction from the N$8 billion budget allocated to the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare (MGECW) during the 2023/2024 financial year, which increased from the N$5 billion allocated in 2023/2024.
Honouring late president Hage Geingob’s vision on pensioners’ welfare, Shiimi increased the old-age and disability grants from N$1 400 to N$1 600 per month.
Official statistics reveal that more than 618 000 Namibians are surviving on social grants.
“These have had a positive impact on both inequality and poverty in Namibia. For more impact, there is a need to increase the overall coverage of the child grants (greatest return on investment), and establish and sustain linkages of beneficiaries with social services. [The] current level of the disability grant is significantly insufficient to impact on poverty,” Nyamadzawo said in the report.
- emumbuu@nepc.com.na
Photo: Namibian