As a former German and South African colony, Namibia endured all forms of discriminations, namely: disparity between the colonisers and the colonised, provision of well-calculated limitation of skills to perpetuate the privileges of the ruling class and restrictive measures used for selecting blacks for further studies (Shilongo, 2004: 1, 8). Until 1990 when Namibia attained independence, the education system was shaped by the policies located within the framework of the apartheid ideology (Government of the Republic of Namibia [GRN], 2004: 29). This education system reflected a wider apartheid political ideology of societal separation defined according to race. I believe this was done by the South African government to further strengthen the apartheid state’s machinery of transmitting skills and attitudes required for maintaining their status quo.
Under that system, access to education and training was limited to a privileged few mainly white people. The political system was designed in a way that ensured that black Namibians received inferior education which prepared them to be good servants of the colonial masters (Tjitendero, 1984: 7). Similarly, Namupala (2000: 17) claims that the skills education taught to black people were deliberately kept basic in order to enable them to become workers on farms and in white household settlements. As stated by GRN (2004: 29), the system produced learners who were semi-literate, and did not gain any meaningful or essential skills which would prepare them for life.
It is my argument that the majority of indigenous black learners were not given quality education that would prepare them to think and act independently. Shilongo (2004: 8) confirms that “lower educational standards in black schools coupled with stringent use of the dominant class language, examinations and the use of corporal punishment prevented learners from being selected to higher levels of education”. She further concluded that these factors were used as restrictive measures for
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selecting blacks for further studies or keeping them out of the system. The few students wishing to acquire tertiary education had to go to South Africa or other countries, since tertiary education only started in 1980 (PoN, 2014: IV). In this respect, the Academy for Tertiary Education was established by Act No. 13 of 1980 to provide teacher training and secretarial courses (PoN, 2014: IV). Later on, Act, No. 9 of 1985 of the South African administration was then promulgated for the Academy to consist of a University component (the present university of Namibia), a Technikon for technical programmes related to science and technology, and College of Out-of-School (COST) for vocational training programmes such as diploma and certificate courses in various disciplines.
Independence in 1990 heralded a new era in the provision and philosophy of education, informed by the historical inequalities of the apartheid period and driven by four goals, namely access, equity, quality and democracy, as highlighted in the country’s Vision 2030 (GRN, 2004: 29). Namibians had to assume responsibility in different sectors of the country’s economy, and education was one of the top priorities in order to develop strong human capital. If equitable participation in the economy is to become a reality, those who have been disadvantaged, especially those who experience discrimination on the basis of region, poverty and gender, should have fair access to education in Namibia (Ministry of Higher Education, Vocational Training, Science and Technology [MHEVTST], 1998: 24). Furthermore, expanding access to education increases productivity and economic growth (Ministry of Education and Culture, 1993: 3). Additionally, the new government of the Republic of Namibia declared in article 20 of the country’s constitution that all people should have access to education and that the state must provide reasonable facilities to render effective education. This calls for the establishment of tertiary institutions in Namibia to address economic development and societal problems and inequalities. From my experience, I have observed that over the past 25 years, the government of the Republic of Namibia has invested a considerable portion of the national budget into education.
Even before Namibia attained independence in 1990, it was already recognised that ODL has the potential to address the country’s educational and training needs in a cost-effective manner (Möwes, 2008: 1). In terms of the White Paper on Higher Education of 1998, ODL can offer most Namibian adults the most economical,
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effective and accessible opportunities to seek tertiary level qualifications (MHEVTST, 1998: 68). Most adults that require education and training have families to manage or full-time jobs, may be involved in community services and live far from the capital city, Windhoek, which hosts most tertiary institutions. Additionally, the costs of living such as accommodation rental and transport fees are very high and unaffordable for many people. As such, because of its flexibility, ODL can accommodate the varying levels of enrolment and has the capacity to reach out to all fourteen regions of the country. Another observation is that, ODL can also play a very important role in the provision of opportunities for lifelong learning, which is central to the country’s social and economic development. Therefore, I concur with Möwes (2005: 1) that distance education has come to be accepted as a well-recognised mode of education and training both relevant to, and necessary for meeting the emerging demands of Namibian society. Currently, many Namibians are studying through distance mode at various institutions in the country, which is a strong indicator that distance education will continue to accommodate people who cannot study full-time due to different commitments.