Namibia’s teacher unemployment crisis: 15 000 grads demand jobs

The number of unemployed teachers has nearly doubled from 8 000 between 2017 and 2023 to 15 000 between 2023 and 2025.

This is according to hundreds of unemployed teachers nationwide who took to the streets yesterday demanding the end of job interviews and for the education ministry to commence a mass recruitment process for them.

The protestors said recent graduates have also added to the numbers, which the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture has not managed to absorb.

Despite these figures, the protestors at Oshakati said the leadership in the education ministry still do not have measures in place to address the unemployment of teachers.

“It is evident that the ministry has disregarded their mandate to provide accessible and quality education, and we concluded that during all the engagements with the education ministry, nothing was done,” the group’s leader, Marianna Kambonde, said in a petition submitted to Oshana chief regional officer Theopolina Hamutumwa yesterday.

The teachers took to the streets dressed in graduation gowns, holding hand-written placards, and voiced frustration over what they allege to be a flawed and unfair system of teacher recruitment.

“Out of 10 interviews, only two are done fairly. We are tired. We don’t have connections,” protestors said.

The demonstrators, who are trained but unemployed, claim that interviews for teaching positions have become a barrier rather than merit-based. They allege that corruption, favouritism and nepotism are influencing the selection process. Kambonde claimed some people buy positions.

“Institutions of higher learning are not properly regulated, as a result, they are failing to respond to the economic demands and set goals of the country. There is a mismatch between what the institutions are producing and the needs of the labour market,” Kambonde said.

In the Ohangwena region, protestor echoed these sentiments, raising concerns over the current state of the recruitment process for teachers.

“We have time and again engaged the education ministry at both regional and national levels all over the country on the alarming statistics of unemployed qualified teachers which, when we include the recent graduates, is likely to stand at 15 000,” said the group at Eenhana.

The group handed over their petition to Ohangwena region education director Isak Hamatwi, in which they claimed their voices have been ignored for far too long.

“People are subjected to extreme hardships during interviews for teaching posts. Candidates travel long distances for interviews all over the country, where many are sleeping at filling stations and there is no accommodation for them due to a lack of money. We are also troubled by a high level of corruption and nepotism during the process,” the group said.

In response, Hamatwi, who received the petition, said the petition would be handed over to the relevant authorities.

In Windhoek, unemployed qualified teachers converged at the entrance of the Government Office Park protesting joblessness. The ministry has so far said there are too many teachers graduating against a limited demand.

Education minister Sanet Steenkamp told The Namibian that interviews cannot be abolished.

“If you have too many teachers in the market, how do you choose who gets placed?” she asks.

Steenkamp dismisses claims that jobs are being sold, challenging individuals with evidence to come forward.

“We do not proceed with appointments under a cloud of doubt, even if it results in delays. When signs of unfairness are detected, we nullify the interview and request approval from the Public Service Commission for re-advertisement,” she says.

Steenkamp warns that “mistrust and accusations” are not uncommon in a competitive job market, and that the planned Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS) could help prevent irregularities.

“Random placements without structure will only worsen the accusations. NIEIS will help ensure fairness and close the loopholes,” she says.

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