Namibia’s population is 1 830 330 million and the current growth rate is 2.6 percent. According to the 2001 Population Census the country has a relatively youthful population with 39 percent of the population under 15 years of age and only seven percent over 60. Despite rapid urbanisation, Namibia is still a mainly rural society with 33 percent of the population living in urban areas. Regional population densities vary enormously with almost two-thirds of the population living in four of the northern regions and less than one tenth of the population living in the south. (Figures are based on the 2001 Population Census). Namibia is a diverse country, with many different cultures represented. The most widely practiced religion is Christianity.
Namibia’s GDP real growth rates had been fluctuating from 6.7 percent in 2002, 3.5 percent in 2003, 6.0 percent in 2004, 3.2 percent in 2005 and 4.1 percent in 2006. Year-on-year inflation rose in August to 5.4 percent, the highest rate for three years. Origins of GDP since 2005, were from:
- agriculture & fishing
- mining & quarrying
- manufacturing including fish processing
- wholesale & retail trade
- financial services
- real estate & business services, and the government.
Namibia export diamonds, manufactures, food and live animals, and other mineral products to South Africa, UK, Angola and USA.
Namibia benefits from a stable multiparty political environment, with South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) as the dominant party with a central government debt reached N$13.24bn (US1.8bn) at the end of June 2006 , a 6 percent rise on the previous year.
The Namibian government is slowly but surely working to improve education in Namibia by modifying the HIGSE/IGSE international version of the Cambridge system. Overcrowding in rural area schools is another issue that the government is currently giving attention to by building more schools and training more teachers every year especially science teachers. The growing number of local middle class Namibians sending their children to further their education in the UK, the number of organisations sponsoring their employees to further their studies in UK and the preference of young professionals choosing to further their studies, shows the potential of the international education market in relation to gaining a competitive advantage within the job market. Many believe that the UK has the best universities despite the cost factor which is the stumbling block cutting off most of the aspirants. Access to the Internet is expanding and mobile phone technology had taken over as the preferred mode of communications choice for young professionals, students, workers and officials.
The present education system can be described as six-two-two-four system. This consists of six years of primary education, two years of junior secondary, two years senior secondary and four years of university undergraduate degree studies (However there is no university or college offering medicine and dentistry courses in Namibia). Namibia only has one University, one Polytechnic, one College of Education, one Vocational Training Centre, and four private/parastatals institutions that offer UK Exam boards courses. There is no specific institution(s) offering international curriculum, which would include A-Levels and IB (International Baccalaureate), to encourage students aiming for study opportunities abroad (i.e. UK). There is an increasing demand for postgraduate courses, especially MBAs and distance learning.
The majority of Namibian students studying abroad are pursuing postgraduate courses, but there are also a few who are studying for undergraduate courses especially in Medicine and Dentistry, and this remains the key market opportunity. Despite economic difficulties, students and parents remain interested and willing to invest in study overseas, calculating that an overseas education and qualifications will give graduates a competitive edge in securing a job or establishing a business. Many larger employers (e.g. The Bank of Namibia {Central Bank}, NAMDEB {Diamond Company}, De Beers {Diamond Company}, NAMPOWER (Electricity Supply), Namibian Brewery, Standard Bank (Commercial Bank) etc) illustrate a preference for overseas qualifications over those obtained locally.
English is the official language and the language of business. Subject areas of most interest for under/postgraduate study are Sciences (Marine Biology, Aquaculture), Business (Entrepreneurship), Finance (Accountants), Medicine and Dentistry (Heart Surgeons), Information Technology (Business Software systems developers and engineers), Engineering (mostly, qualified engineers are contracted from South Africa), Architecture, Law (too few lawyers, especially commercial lawyers). South African educational institutions are still dominating the education market in Namibia probably because
- they are close to Namibia,
- more affordable,
- it was a colonial master and most companies and institutions operating in Namibia are originally from SA, therefore SA institutions are still monopolising the market, but they need competition to keep costs lower for their clients/candidates as, at the moment, fees are monopolistically high.
Due to lack of places and too few institutions, only a third of those qualified get admission to Namibian educational institutions, and this is creating a demand for international education. The best new opportunities are likely to be found in Further Education, especially with the expanding market for professional qualifications, and in the provision of short courses in Leadership, Management, English Language Teaching, Governance, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Information Technology, and Law. Some UK institutions like ICM, ABE, and City & Guilds had entered partnerships with Namibian colleges like International University of Management (IUM), Polytechnic of Namibia, to provide alternative routes to British qualifications through BTEC and HND courses.
Some opportunistic trends identified:
- Undergraduate degree holders: prospective candidates looking for postgraduate degree programmes opportunities mostly taught courses.
- Polytechnic HND holders : possibly looking for one of two year’s undergraduate degree top up courses or pre-Masters or postgraduate foundation courses
- HIGSE/IGCSE Certificate Holders: typically looking for foundation or A-levels.
- Professional or Career-based candidates: looking for opportunities in Accounting, Marketing, Banking, Leadership, Corporate Governance, and law leading to exams and qualifications of leading professional bodies like CIMA, ACCA, CIM, etc.
- Short Courses: employees/professional trainers looking for professional development opportunities to update knowledge and skills.
- Distance Learning highly accepted as an alternative study option especially by working professionals.
This data is currenty being gathered and will be updated as soon as possible.
| 
