Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has officially launched the Namibia Learning Passport, a digital learning platform aimed at expanding access to educational resources
“We are taking an important step towards making learning more accessible, more flexible and more responsive to the realities of a rapidly changing world. The Namibia Learning Passport has particular significance for young people in rural, remote and underserved communities. Through digital and offline access to learning resources, it can help young Namibians continue learning even where connectivity is limited,” Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp said.
The initiative was launched during the commemoration of the 2026 International Youth Day in Keetmanshoop, //Kharas Region. The day was commemorated under the theme, “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation through Technology and Partnerships.”
Photos: Ministry of Education.
According to Steenkamp, it is particularly fitting that the commemoration of the 2026 International Youth Day also marks the launch of the Namibia Learning Passport, as the initiative aims to empower young people.
“It opens opportunities to develop digital literacy, entrepreneurship, financial capability, life skills, citizenship and other competencies that are increasingly important in today’s world. But for me, the significance of the Learning Passport goes beyond the technology itself. It is about possibility. It is about saying that learning should not stop because of where you live. It is about bringing learning closer to the young person, rather than requiring the young person always to travel towards opportunity. It is about recognising that education cannot end when a learner leaves the classroom or when a young person receives a certificate. In a rapidly changing world, learning must continue throughout life,” Steenkamp said.
The minister further encouraged young people to take responsibility for their personal development and education, regardless of their circumstances.
“Young people in Namibia do not all live the same reality. Some of you are from our towns and cities, others come from rural and remote communities, some are at university, some are in vocational education and training, some are already working, others are still searching for their first opportunity, some of you have technology at your fingertips every day, others still struggle with connectivity. Our contexts are different but our aspirations are remarkably similar. We want to learn, work, we want dignity, we want to be heard, we want to belong, we want to succeed and we want to live in a country where our children can have opportunities even greater than those we have today. That is what connects young Namibians from Keetmanshoop to Katima Mulilo, from Opuwo to Rundu, from Lüderitz to Oshakati, and everywhere in between,” Steenkamp said.
She acknowledged that many young people face limited opportunities for economic growth and development despite having business ideas. While assuring them that the Government will do its part to ensure that young people have access to opportunities, she also urged them to strive to create their own opportunities.
“Let us also be honest, being young in Namibia today is not always easy. Some of you are looking for employment. Some are trying to finance your education. Some have brilliant business ideas but cannot access capital or markets. Some are carrying burdens that people around you may not even know about. And some of you are simply asking: ‘Where is my opportunity?’ I want you to know that Government must take that question seriously. Our responsibility is not merely to tell you to dream. Our responsibility is to help create the conditions in which your dreams have a realistic chance of becoming reality. But I also want to challenge you. Do not wait for opportunity to find you; prepare yourself for it, create it where you can, and when a door opens, be ready to walk through it,” Steenkamp added.
