The president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, announced that university students will no longer be required to pay school fees from 2026.
She made the announcement during her maiden state of the nation address on Thursday, 24 April 2025.
“FEES HAVE FALLEN,” SAYS NAMIBIAN PRESIDENT
According to The Star, Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia’s first female president, said students will no longer pay tuition or registration fees at all public universities and technical colleges.
She said, ” We have heard your cries: ‘the Fees have Fallen. I am pleased to announce that from the next academic year, commencing 2026, tertiary education will become 100% subsidised by the government.”
However, she added that there would not be “significant” extra funding, raising concerns about the scheme’s feasibility.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said that in the meantime, the only contribution required from families and students for now will be towards accommodation and other related costs.
She said, “If we are going to add, we are not going to add a significant amount of funds.”
The country already offers free primary and high school education. However, families still cover costs of uniforms, books, and hostel fees.
AFFIRMATIVE REPOSITIONING STUDENT COMMAND (ARSC) CRITICISE NANDI-NDAITWAH’S ANNOUNCEMENT
Student organisation, Affirmative Repositioning Student Command (ARSC), criticised Nandi-Ndaitwah’s announcement, saying it was an attention- seeking ploy by the government.
Speaking to BBC, the organisation said, “There is no plan, it is just a confused announcement which raises [the] question of what [Nandi-Ndaitwah] means by tertiary education.”
Economist Tannen Groenewald said that scrapping school fees with no back-up funding could result in limiting the number of students enrolled.
He added that there’s a possibility that this could apply to students from low-income households.
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