Namibia Puts Unequal Education Opportunities in Focus at Global Report Launch

The GEM Report examines equitable access through trends in early childhood education, out-of-school rates, completion rates and participation in tertiary education.

Namibia has launched the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report on Access and Equity during a national policy dialogue on inequalities affecting learners. The discussions examined how the education system can give every learner a fair opportunity to enter education, progress through it and complete their studies. Participants considered the barriers that continue to restrict participation and the changes needed to make educational opportunities more inclusive.

Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Dino Ballotti officially launched the report on 30 September 2026. The event took place at the University of Namibia's Khomasdal Campus in Windhoek, bringing global education findings into a discussion of national priorities. Its focus included progress towards the 2030 education targets and the challenges preventing some learners from benefiting fully from education.

The Namibia National Commission for UNESCO, the University of Namibia and the UNESCO Windhoek Office organised the event. Government representatives joined researchers, teachers' unions, civil society organisations, students and international partners to examine the report's implications for Namibia. Their exchanges explored how evidence, cooperation and fairer use of resources could improve participation and completion.

Addressing the barriers that limit opportunity

In his keynote address, Ballotti called for an education system that responds to learners' different needs and enables every child and young person to reach their potential. He highlighted social and economic barriers that prevent learners from accessing education or benefiting fully from the opportunities available. His message stressed that geography, poverty, disability and social background should never determine whether a learner receives an opportunity.

The GEM Report examines equitable access through trends in early childhood education, out-of-school rates, completion rates and participation in tertiary education. It investigates why some countries have expanded opportunities faster than others and whether that progress has reduced disparities among learners. The findings also examine how education policies and financing can support fairer outcomes across different stages of education.

Using global evidence to inform national priorities

Helvi Moshell, Programme Officer for Culture at the UNESCO Windhoek Office, delivered remarks on behalf of UNESCO Representative to Namibia Eunice Smith. She described the report as an opportunity to examine global evidence through a Namibian perspective and ask practical questions about the country's education system. The discussion, she noted, comes as Namibia implements its Sixth National Development Plan and continues work towards Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Moshell welcomed the dialogue as a means of connecting evidence, national priorities and collaboration to address inequalities. Her remarks encouraged participants to consider how international findings could inform decisions about improving opportunities for all learners. The discussion placed the report within Namibia's ongoing development planning and its efforts to advance inclusive education.

Turning findings into fairer planning and funding

GEM Report Director Manos Antoninis presented the report, followed by discussions about what its findings mean for Namibia. Participants examined how evidence-based planning, stronger collaboration and more equitable resource allocation could help remove barriers to participation and completion. These exchanges provided an opportunity to assess whether policies, planning and financing adequately serve learners facing the greatest difficulties.

For Namibia, the report offers a basis for reviewing how education decisions respond to different needs across the learner population. The dialogue reaffirmed the importance of using evidence to strengthen inclusion and accelerate progress towards the 2030 education targets. It also connected national discussions with the development of the global education agenda beyond 2030.