Windhoek: The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has raised concern over the decline in the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level performance in 2025, warning of systemic strain despite increased enrolments.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Nanso's Secretary for Basic and Secondary Education, Lavinia Leonard, addressed the issue during a press conference on the 2025 Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and NSSCAS examination results. Leonard highlighted that the AS level area experienced a significant increase of about 21.7 percent in enrolment, rising from 9,835 candidates in 2024 to 11,968 in 2025, which coincided with a decline in performance.
Leonard reported a decrease in the number of learners meeting the three-subject mark, falling from 74.1 percent to 70 percent, while overall subject attainment decreased from 88.2 percent to 86.4 percent. She explained that approximately 490 learners, who would have passed under the 2024 conditions, failed in 2025 due to the system's expansion without a corresponding increase in qualified teachers, classrooms, laboratories, learning materials, and academic support structures.
Leonard emphasized the urgent need for expanding teaching capacity through a comprehensive national audit of AS-level staffing and emergency recruitment in critical subjects, including mathematics, sciences, languages, and technical fields. She also stressed the importance of enforceable class size limits, investment in laboratories, libraries, learning materials, and infrastructure to maintain instructional quality.
Further, Leonard called for support mechanisms for learners who do not succeed, advocating for proper second-chance avenues, targeted academic support, and controlled tuition environments that prioritize learner outcomes. She suggested developing a flexible hybrid learning model to accommodate working learners without compromising educational quality.
Leonard concluded by reaffirming Nanso's commitment to monitoring the implementation of these measures, maintaining accountability among duty bearers, and advocating for an educational system that ensures equity, quality, and dignity for all Namibian learners.