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Namibia’s newly elected president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has announced that tuition and registration fees at public universities and technical colleges will be scrapped from 2026—marking a historic shift in the country’s higher education policy.
Speaking during her first State of the Nation address on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah—Namibia’s first female head of state—said the government would phase in free tertiary education, with students and families expected only to cover accommodation and other related costs.
“We have heard your cries: ‘the fees have fallen,’” she declared, referencing years of student protests in Namibia and the wider region, including South Africa’s influential #FeesMustFall movement.
But while the announcement has sparked celebration among some students, it has also raised serious questions. Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged that the policy would be implemented without a significant increase in funding, relying instead on existing subsidies to public institutions and money from the student financial assistance fund.
“If we are going to add, we are not going to add a significant amount,” she said, leaving details of the plan’s financial sustainability unclear.
Primary and secondary education is already free in public schools across Namibia. The move to expand this to tertiary education is seen by some as a bold, overdue step—but critics worry the rollout may be rushed or uneven.
The Affirmative Repositioning Student Command (ARSC) dismissed the announcement as vague and politically motivated, “There is no plan—it’s just a confused statement. What does [Nandi-Ndaitwah] even mean by tertiary education? Will it include postgraduate students or only undergraduates?”
Economist Tannen Groenewald echoed those concerns, warning that scrapping tuition fees without boosting funding could force institutions to cap student enrolment or narrow eligibility to low-income households only.
A similar scenario played out in neighbouring South Africa after the #FeesMustFall protests. In 2017, the government eliminated fees for some, but many students—especially those in the so-called “missing middle” who were too wealthy for financial aid but still unable to afford tuition—were left behind.
For now, Namibia’s promise of free higher education is a milestone—one that could redefine access to learning for future generations. But as pressure builds for clarity, the true test will be in the details.
