China’s influence on Namibian education

Namibia and China have a long and fruitful partnership in the field of education, with generous scholarships and initiatives from both countries significantly improving the quality of education in Namibia. These initiatives, funded by the Chinese government, not only open the door for Namibian students to receive first-class education in China, but also promote academic cooperation and cultural exchanges through the Confucius Institute located at the main campus of the University of Namibia.

According to the Chinese Embassy, ​​389 Namibian students and scholars have received Chinese government scholarships to study various subjects at Chinese universities since 1994. These scholarships include the China Scholarship Council Scholarship, the Ministry of Commerce Scholarship and the Confucius Institute Scholarship. These scholarships cover all aspects of education, including tuition, accommodation and living expenses.

“Receiving the Master of International Business Scholarship from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has had a profound impact on my career goals and ambitions. Although I am still in my final year, this unique opportunity continues to shape my career aspirations and has brought many significant benefits. Studying in an international environment has enabled me to gain a broader global perspective. Interacting with classmates from different backgrounds and cultures has exposed me to different perspectives and ways of thinking. This is extremely valuable in my career in taxation, as it is crucial to understand a variety of perspectives,” said Fabian de Kock, a senior tax officer at the Namibian Revenue Authority (Namra) and a recipient of the Ministry of Commerce Scholarship.

Educational infrastructure and cultural exchange

China’s involvement is not limited to scholarships. China has implemented various initiatives focused on strengthening education infrastructure and teacher development. China’s investment in Namibian education has exceeded N$1 billion. These investments include the construction of rural schools, classrooms and educational facilities. Notable projects include the construction of Chairman Mao Zedong Middle School (valued at N$227.5 million), China Tianjiu Hope Primary School and the Namibian National Youth Training Center (Phase I and II), which have strengthened education infrastructure.

China Tianjiu Xingfu Hope Primary School is located in Omahek Province, Namibia. It is the 23rd Hope Primary School built by the China-Africa Hope Project. It was donated by China with a total investment of 15 million Namibian dollars and provides educational facilities for nearly 600 students. The Namibian National Youth Training Center is located in central Namibia, 30 kilometers from Grootfontein. It includes administrative buildings, teaching buildings, dormitories, a 400-meter standard sports field and other facilities. The first phase had a total investment of 90.9 million yuan (230 million Namibian dollars) and was handed over to Namibia in May 2015. The second phase was completed in June 2019 and further expanded to become the largest youth training center in Namibia. In addition, China also donated experimental equipment worth 25 million Namibian dollars to the School of Engineering and Information Technology of the University of Namibia.

Important learning opportunities

Confucius Institutes are located in universities and educational institutions around the world and serve as cultural centers for the dissemination of Chinese language and culture. In Namibia, these institutes offer Chinese language courses, organize cultural events, and carry out projects that help deepen the understanding of China.

“To strengthen cultural cooperation, the University of Namibia has reached an agreement with the Chinese Embassy to establish a joint school of Chinese as a foreign language. The last area of ​​cooperation is to carry out joint research projects in areas agreed by both parties, which may include institutional development. Bilateral and multilateral agreements with various countries are one of the important means to strengthen Namibia’s academic and technological capabilities through exposure to different teaching and research methods and different operating environments where different technological applications can be used,” said Alfred Van Kent, Executive Director of Higher Education Namibia.

The Confucius Institute at UNAM offers Mandarin Chinese as a college credit course. In addition to this, it also offers evening courses for employees interested in learning Chinese. These courses not only teach the language, but also introduce students to traditional Chinese festivals and provide them with a chance to experience the culture firsthand.

“The Confucius Institute offers a variety of programs each year to provide Namibian students with opportunities to study in China. For example, in June this year, we sent 17 students to China for a two-week program. These experiences are very enriching and allow our students to interact with other international Chinese learners and develop a global perspective. In addition, our Chinese speech competition provides a unique opportunity for our students to showcase their language skills, with the winner receiving scholarship support for one semester,” said Simon Nameshaw, spokesperson for the University of Namibia.

In order to receive the scholarship, students must reach a minimum Chinese proficiency of HSK Level 3 or 4.

Continue to learn for everyone

Namesho explained that full scholarships will be provided to interested university faculty members to continue their master’s or doctoral studies in China. “Several UNAM faculty members have successfully obtained their master’s or doctoral degrees with the support of these scholarships and have returned to UNAM to continue teaching,” he added.

China’s investment in Namibia’s education coincides with President Xi Jinping’s vision for China-Africa cooperation. In order to plan the next stage of China-Africa practical cooperation and help Africa’s integration and modernization, President Xi Jinping proposed launching the China-Africa Talent Development Cooperation Plan at the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue in Johannesburg in August this year.

According to the China-Africa Talent Development Cooperation Plan, China will train 500 principals and 10,000 technicians for African countries every year, and invite 20,000 government officials and technicians to Africa for training to promote educational development.