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Education in Namibia is compulsory for 10 years between the ages of 6 and 16.[1] The Constitution directs the government to provide free primary education; however, families must pay fees for uniforms, books, hostels, and school improvements. In 1997, the gross primary enrollment rate was 130.6 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 91.2 percent. According to the Ministry of Labor’s child labor survey, 80 percent of working children between the ages of 6 and 18 continue to attend school while they are employed.[1]
Educational strategies
[edit]Before independence
[edit]Until Namibia's independence, the country's education system was designed to reinforce apartheid rather than provide the necessary human resource base to promote equitable social and economic development. It was fragmented along racial and ethnic lines, with vast disparities in both the allocation of resources and the quality of education offered.[2]
After independence
[edit]The new Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) set about to create one unified structure for education administration. Currently, Namibia allocates more than 20% of its national budget to education. This represents six to seven percent of Namibia's total GDP and is one of the three countries with the highest percentage of GDP directed toward education in the world.[2]
The investment is paying off. A new, uniform and learner-centered curriculum for grades one through twelve, finalized in 1998, has received recognition beyond Namibia's borders and significant progress has been made in the use of English (which replaced Afrikaans as the nation's official language) as a medium of instruction. About 95 percent of school age children attend school and the number of teachers has increased by almost 30 percent since 1990. Over 3000 new classrooms have been built. As a result of these improvements, repetition rates in all grades have been reduced. Whereas in 1991, half the learners in grade 1 were repeating the grade, by 2003, over 84 percent of learners were earning their promotions on time. Dropout rates have also plummeted.[2]
Tertiary Institutions
[edit]Namibian Maritime and Fisheries Institute - NAMFI
[edit]NAMFIThe Namibian Maritime and Fisheries Institute, also known as NAMFI, is a tertiary institution, which was officially established in July 1996 by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) as a Trust. The main objective of NAMFI was to provide maritime and fisheries training in accordance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and to build capacity in the field of maritime and fisheries sectors in and around Namibia.[3] All students upon completing a course in one of the following disciplines: Navigation, Engineering and Safety, sit for an exam with the Directorate of Maritime Affairs (DMA) within theMinistry of Works and Transport. DMA is an IMO accredited authority and NAMFI is accredited by DMA. All training activities at NAMFI are in accordance with the STCW 78/95 convention as well the Namibian Merchant Shipping Act of 1951, particularly in the areas of education, training, and certification of Namibian seafarers.[3] NAMFI managed by The Board of Trustees which is appointed by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources. The Board of Trustees has the highest power and authority to act on behalf of the Institute.[3]
Namfi has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1996. It lacked any proper structures like a board and management. Most of the lecturers where expatriates and teaching materials were scarse. Today it is considered a centre of excellence which boost a strong Namibian staff contigent, a board of trustees and a highly capable management. Namfi has also expanded and includes vocational courses in their curriculum. This is one of the reasons why it attracts more and more students far beyond its borders.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Namibia". United States Department of Labor. Retrieved 2008-08-04. This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "Namibia Africa: Strategic Objectives: Quality Primary Education". United States Agency for International Development. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-04. This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c "namfi". Namfi. 2008-08-26.
- ^ Nakale, Albertina (18 March 2010). "Nigerians part of Namfi graduates". The New Era.
External links
[edit]- Namibia Ministry of Education
- Education Statistics and Quality of Education in Namibia, Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ)
- Polytechnic of Namibia
- University of Namibia
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