Nantu on Thursday said the union is committed to supporting qualified unemployed teachers in their urgent call for employment, highlighting the pressing need to address the teacher shortage that continues to strain the education sector.
In a strongly worded statement, the Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU) emphasized that the shortage of teachers is a critical issue undermining the delivery of quality education in the country. The union reiterated its long-standing advocacy for the effective implementation of education policies, particularly the teacher-learner ratio, which remains imbalanced in many schools.
“NANTU recognises the shortage of teachers and has been advocating the effective implementation of policies to address this, including the teacher-learner ratio,” the union said. “The union has observed overcrowded classrooms, displacement of teachers, and mismatch of skills. This situation undermines the primary mandate of the Ministry of Education to provide quality education and training for sustainable national development.”
The union said that many schools are operating with limited staff, leading to overcrowded classrooms where learners struggle to receive adequate attention and support. At the same time, hundreds of qualified teachers remain unemployed a contradiction NANTU says should be urgently addressed through better planning and immediate government intervention.
NANTU called on the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to accelerate teacher recruitment efforts, ensure equitable placement based on regional needs, and improve workforce planning to match teacher qualifications with subject-specific demands.
Education stakeholders and civil society groups have echoed these concerns, warning that continued inaction could lead to long-term consequences for Namibia’s development goals. The union concluded by urging the government to treat the education crisis as a national priority and to engage all relevant stakeholders in finding sustainable solutions.
