![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/TVET-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Cabinet has approved a national pathway allowing Grade 9 pupils to progress through the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system to obtain university-level qualifications \u2013 including doctoral degrees.<\/p>\n
This was confirmed by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture his week.<\/p>\n
This comes after the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) conducted nationwide consultations across all 14 regions to align training with industry needs and international standards.<\/p>\n
Under the new model, learning begins at entry-level vocational training.<\/p>\n
A Grade 9 pupil can enter the TVET system at the introductory or foundational level, where they are introduced to basic technical skills, workplace safety and hands-on exposure to different trades.<\/p>\n
Pupils who may have dropped out of school or lack formal qualifications are also accommodated through foundation programmes that strengthen literacy, numeracy and basic technical competence.<\/p>\n
REDUCING FAILURE<\/p>\n
NTA chief executive Erick Nenghwanya says the decision will reduce the failure rate and ensure industry relevance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis upholds standards by enforcing competency based steps, aligning with international models of structured pathways. <\/p>\n
It prevents misalignment, reduces failures, and ensures industry relevance without compromising national benchmarks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe system inclusively serves youth\/adults via clear pathways, expanding opportunities without barriers,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The new framework positions TVET not as a second option, but as a parallel pathway to doctoral qualifications.
Nenghwanya says this does, however, not create shortcuts.<\/p>\n
\u201cPupils must progress through each competency level, complete practical training and meet entry requirements before progressing.<\/p>\n
\u201cA pupil cannot jump directly from Grade 10 into a degree programme without completing the required vocational and technical stages,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
He says the reform also seeks to address long-standing challenges in the TVET sector, including institutions offering programmes beyond their mandate, misalignment with industry needs, and high failure rates caused by poorly structured progression routes.<\/p>\n
Currently, pupils can only attain university degrees through the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary or Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary qualifications.<\/p>\n
\u2018NO COMPETITION\u2019<\/p>\n
Education minister Sanet Steenkamp says this reform complements rather than competes with the university system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe colleges will have a distinct mandate focused on applied, practice-oriented and occupationally directed qualifications, with strong industry alignment and work-integrated learning.<\/p>\n
\u201cUniversities will continue to focus primarily on academic, research-intensive and theoretical programmes. <\/p>\n
This difference will be reinforced through programme approval processes under the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) and relevant higher education regulatory structures,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
She says while the Cabinet has approved the transformation, the specific institutions identified for elevation have not yet been formally gazetted.<\/p>\n
Steenkamp says all Level 7 qualifications, which typically involve degrees offered by colleges, will be subject to the same national quality assurance requirements as those offered by universities.<\/p>\n
This includes accreditation by the NQA, compliance with national qualification descriptors, external moderation, programme reviews and institutional audits.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo institution will be permitted to offer Level 7 programmes without meeting full accreditation requirements,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u2018NOT READY\u2019<\/p>\n
The minister says not all existing TVET centres are ready to deliver higher-level programmes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why the reform is being implemented on a phased basis over several years. <\/p>\n
The transformation will be supported through targeted infrastructure upgrades, lecturer development and upskilling, strategic reskilling, and revised funding models aligned to expanded institutional mandates.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cabinet\u2019s approval recognises that additional investment will be required, and this is being addressed through medium-term planning and partnerships where appropriate. Quality remains the central priority,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
STUDENT UNION HAPPY<\/p>\n
Steenkamp says the move will directly address graduate unemployment and the longstanding mismatch between skills training and labour market needs.<\/p>\n
Namibia National Students Organisation leader Dorthea Nangolo yesterday welcomed the move.<\/p>\n
\u201cTVET contributes to our country and it is not valued. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The lack of value results in people thinking they are not academically talented or illiterate, and they are not being taken seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople with brilliant manual skills and minds can now also progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian\u2019s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours \u2013 occasionally with a light, witty touch.
\nIt\u2019s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t![\"AI](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/nambian-ai-article-placeholder.png\")
<\/p>\n
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency,
\n\t\t\t\t\t\twhile
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmaintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tStay informed with The Namibian \u2013 your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
\n\t\t\t\tonly N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy \u2013
Subscribe Now!<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Cabinet has approved a national pathway allowing Grade 9 pupils to progress through the technical and vocational…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16740,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[102],"class_list":{"0":"post-16739","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-namibia","8":"tag-namibia"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16739"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16739\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}