Windhoek: The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) on Monday launched its 2026 online application system, marking a major step toward strengthening access to tertiary education.
According to Namibia Press Agency, NSFAF Acting Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Kandume noted that the launch indicates the dawn of a transformed and expanded landscape for tertiary education financing in Namibia. He revealed that for the 2025 academic year, the Fund received 41,322 applications, of which 30,138 students were successfully awarded financial assistance, amounting to N.dollars 3.1 billion in tuition and non-tuition support.
Kandume stated that the 100 percent subsidised Tertiary Education Funding Model, which includes the removal of the parental income threshold for tuition fees, has dismantled the primary financial barrier to higher learning. He added that NSFAF anticipates a record number of applications for 2026 and is prepared to implement, monitor, and evaluate the expanded funding model with diligence, integrity, and a deep sense of purpose.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp described the initiative as a deliberate and meaningful step toward an education system that is more accessible, inclusive, and more responsive to the aspirations of young people further thanking stakeholders and the media for ensuring credible information reaches all eligible applicants.
Steenkamp reaffirmed government’s commitment to covering registration and tuition fees for all qualifying students, emphasising that financial circumstances do not become a barrier to academic potential. She acknowledged the ongoing challenges related to students’ cost of living explaining that the Subsidised Tertiary Education Funding Model remains a critical lifeline, enabling students to remain enrolled, focused, and committed to completing their studies.
Steenkamp urged the youth to remain focused and to pursue their studies with resolve. ‘Education remains the most powerful tool you have to shape your future and that of our nation,’ said Steenkamp.