The Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, has emphasised that denying a learner a Level 1 certificate is an injustice and requested further details to investigate the matter.

This follows concerns about learners, who did not receive their Level 1 certificates after completing pre-vocational subjects between 2018 and 2024.

She was responding to a question by IPC MP Bertha Nghifikwa on whether vocational training centers could accommodate these learners for the 2027 academic year while they await their certificates.

The Minister clarified that Grade 9 is a semi-exit point, not a final exit examination, noting that Namibia has two national examinations - Grade 11 and AS level.

She said graduation ceremonies for basic pre-vocational subjects had been held across the country over the past two years, with learners receiving their Level 1 certificates.

Dr Steenkamp explained that learners who miss the ceremonies may already have entered employment or enrolled elsewhere.

“So, I would need more evidence in this regard. Over the past two years, we have held graduation ceremonies for students who completed basic pre-vocational subjects across the country, and they were presented with Level 1 certificates. I would need more details if there is a particular school that did not issue certificates. At the ceremonies I attended, all students received their certificates. In cases where students are not present to receive their certificates, many have already gone out to work or enrolled elsewhere. However, students need to attend a graduation ceremony to receive their certificates. If I receive more details, we will gladly provide a more comprehensive response.”