Education sector needs N$2,4 billion

THE education sector will need N$2,39 billion over the next five years to finance the first phase of its ambitious Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP).

Experts discussed the 15-year education programme at an appraisal conference in Windhoek that ended on Thursday. “In refining ETSIP since the last conference which was held in April this year, we tried to make choices in the best interests of Namibia’s learners,” Education Minister Nangoloh Mbumba told the conference.”This programme, which will continue until the year 2020 and the first phase of it until 2011, will produce citizens with a good quality secondary education; citizens who can apply science, use information and who have the skills to be high earners,” Mbumba added.Government is revamping its education sector over the next decade to improve teacher qualification and to prepare pupils better for the labour market.It is estimated that the total implementation cost of ETSIP will be N$11 billion until 2020.Only N$8,4 billion has been made available by the Government, the European Union, Sweden, and the Netherlands.The Namibian Government has taken a loan of US$30 million (approximately N$200 million) from the World Bank to kick-start the 20-year education plan.Another N$300 million will come from Government coffers until 2011.The Namibian business sector pledged about N$4,5 million for ETSIP during a pledging conference held in Windhoek in April.Last month, Government submitted a proposal for ETSIP to the US-based Millennium Development Corporation (MCA), but no figures were made available.”In refining ETSIP since the last conference which was held in April this year, we tried to make choices in the best interests of Namibia’s learners,” Education Minister Nangoloh Mbumba told the conference.”This programme, which will continue until the year 2020 and the first phase of it until 2011, will produce citizens with a good quality secondary education; citizens who can apply science, use information and who have the skills to be high earners,” Mbumba added.Government is revamping its education sector over the next decade to improve teacher qualification and to prepare pupils better for the labour market.It is estimated that the total implementation cost of ETSIP will be N$11 billion until 2020.Only N$8,4 billion has been made available by the Government, the European Union, Sweden, and the Netherlands.The Namibian Government has taken a loan of US$30 million (approximately N$200 million) from the World Bank to kick-start the 20-year education plan.Another N$300 million will come from Government coffers until 2011.The Namibian business sector pledged about N$4,5 million for ETSIP during a pledging conference held in Windhoek in April.Last month, Government submitted a proposal for ETSIP to the US-based Millennium Development Corporation (MCA), but no figures were made available.