The Power of Persistence: Education System ... - EQUIP123.net

Namibia: Summary
COUNTRy CONTExT
Namibia’s colonial history informs the dominant influences in the country’s
political, economic, and social life. The former German colony of South-West
Africa was occupied during World War I by South Africa, which then annexed
the territory after World War II. The South-West Africa People’s Organization
(SWAPO) initiated a guerrilla war of independence in 1966, which culminated
with independence in 1990. SWAPO has governed the country since that time,
with the first 14 years under the SWAPO leader Sam Nujoma.
Namibia enjoys one of the highest levels of per capita income in Africa, but
this statistic is misleading. With a Gini index of 74, Namibia also has one of the
most unequal income distributions in the world. Much of the majority black
population is poor, engaged in subsistence agriculture, and living in the Northern
regions. In addition to the economic challenges, HIV/AIDs is a significant factor
in Namibia, with a prevalence rate of over 21 percent of the adult population.
REFORM gOALS
From the outset of the education reform development with Independence
in 1990, the Namibian government’s goals were all related to nation building
and democratization of the society. The policies were all formed and driven
by the ideological shift from a system of racial apartheid to one based on the
principles of inclusive democracy. The major education policies came directly
from the principles of the new Constitution and the education practices in the
pre-Independence schools developed and managed in the pre-Independence
SWAPO camp schools, supported by internationally recognized concepts of
teaching and learning. The education reform movement, from 1990 through to
the present has been consistently guided by the overarching principles of equity,
access, and quality.
SECTION 2: lESSONS fROM COUNTRY CASE STUdIES
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