Transforming education: the power of ICT policies - Commonwealth ...

also from being on track to achieving key Millennium Development Goals including universal primary education.
However Namibia faces signifi cant socio-economic challenges that threaten its education system and general
human development in the country. From a policy perspective, education is considered catalytic in addressing both
the social imbalances and the country’s transformation towards a a knowledge based economy.
Policy Features
Overview
Namibia’s ICT in Education policy process has evolved since the late 1990s when the Ministry of Basic Education
developed a national policy for ICT in Education in Namibia through its National Institute for Educational
Development (NIED). This policy was revised in 2000 and by 2005 an ICT in Education policy was adopted.
Policy Objectives
The purpose of this Policy is to guide all Namibian education stakeholders in their preparation to meet the
challenges of the twnety-fi rst century and that of the globalizing world economy. The Policy envisages that it will
guide the attainment of ICT literate Namibian citizens, capable of participating in the new economies that emerge
from ICT and related developments; it will guide the ability to leverage ICT to facilitate learning by teachers and
learning, improve the administrative and management effi ciency of the education system and broaden access to
quality educational services for all.
The Policy also makes explicit its educational goals. It is concerned with providing clear objectives and basic
competencies in ICT knowledge for learners, students, and teachers. With reference to the provision of equity
and quality in education, it proposes that curricula make explicit what is expected of learners, students, and
teachers with reference to ICT in Education. This includes guidance to teachers on how to present the relevant
assessment criteria to learners and students. The Policy also proposes that these curricula include cross-curricular
“opportunities” to provide Ministry guidance to educational institutions, which have ICT access. These educational
goals place emphasis on the pedagogical use of ICT as an integrated tool in the teaching-learning process at all
levels in the educational system. It also suggests that competence in the use of ICT by teachers, students and
community members be developed through a long period of guided practice and investigation.
Policy Content
With reference to the content of the Policy, it provides a clear vision, mission and statement of purpose. Its vision
is to support the GRN’s Vision 2030’s call for constructive global partnerships founded on common interest,
obligation, commitment, and equality premised on good governance democracy, and human rights. Its mission is
to to articulate the relevance, responsibility, and effectiveness of integrating ICT in education with a view to meeting
the challenges of the twenty-fi rst century.
It also includes a clear defi nition of ICT which covers all the technologies used for the handling and communication
of information and their use specifi cally in education.
The Policy states the value proposition for investing in ICT integration in Namibia’s education system clearly. This
value proposition includes the recognition that ICT have a role to play in education both directly as a subject and
indirectly as tools to assist in educational delivery and management.
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