Maria David
EDUCATION and training providers are urged by the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) to take proactive steps to ensure that their establishments and credentials are certified.
NQA Acting Chief Executive Officer Harmoni Beukes said this is in the best interest of both training providers and prospective students as they prepare for the academic year 2025.
“Accredited institutions draw public confidence to enrol and carry no risk of wastage of funds and time invested by students,” she said.
According to Beukes, it is important to note that the NQA is the only entity in Namibia that is mandated by the Namibia Qualifications Authority Act (Act 29 of 1996) to accredit persons, institutions, and organizations providing education and training in Namibia.
She indicated that the NQA does not engage in the registration of institutions of higher learning, as that function is vested in other relevant entities within the higher education fraternity.
“Accreditation is a confirmation by the NQA that an institution has met the standard of accreditation and has proven the necessary capacity to provide courses, assess the performance of students, and ultimately certify the competencies attained,” she added.
Moreover, Beukes said all training providers in Namibia offering courses leading to qualifications are obliged to apply for accreditation by the NQA.
Training providers and institutions are required to submit an application form to the NQA, accompanied by required supporting documents and a self-evaluation form to ensure that accreditation standards are met prior to submission.
The process takes approximately three to six months depending on the availability of information from the applicant and the prevailing circumstances.
