Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education has been recognised globally as a stepping stone for development. 

It's for this reason that on Friday, the National Commission on Research, Science, and Technology (NCRST) hosted the 2025 Mathematics and Science Awards to boost the confidence of learners in pursuing STEM fields. 

In the National Science Quiz category, the |Khomas Region topped the list, Oshikoto came out as the winning region in the Namibia Mathematics Olympiad category and ||Kharas won the National Science Fair category. 

STEM is known to drive new industries through innovation, industrialisation and competitiveness, as well as solve national issues such as water scarcity, climate change, food scarcity and access to energy.

"UNESCO emphasises that access to quality STEM learning is essential for achieving SDGs, and UNICEF reminds us that education empowers children to break the cycle of poverty. Here in Namibia, an investment in STEM is an investment in national prosperity, resilience and equality. The challenge is that only a fraction of students currently pursue STEM fields," said Dr. Patrick Simalumba, Director at the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED).

According to Professor Ancia Peters, the CEO of NCRST, 16,000 learners from the country's 14 regions participated in the competition. 

"Science and mathematics are open to every child in the rural areas, girls and those under-represented in STEM because no challenge should be left untapped. From that pool, we have identified the very best 150 in the science fair, 84 in the Olympiad, and 39 in the quiz, and behind them were 54 judges, 40 supervisory teachers, and 42 regional coordinators who made all this possible."

Debmarine Namibia has been sponsoring the awards since 2017 and, between 2022 and 2024, invested approximately N$3.3 million. Its 2025/2026 sponsorship is N$2 million. 

"At Debmarine Namibia, as I said, we heavily rely on these technologies, but beyond the extraction of diamonds, we must always look ahead to identify new industry needs and applications for diamonds, whether in high-tech manufacturing or quantum computing, medical equipment or other emerging fields. This requires a new generation of thinkers who are problem solvers who can innovate across industries," said its CEO, Willy Mertens.

Last year, 14,300 learners from 12 regions, except |Khomas and Kunene, participated in the Mathematics and Science Awards.