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Namibia may revise downwards free education budget

Xinhua, February 27, 2017 Adjust font size:

Namibia's education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa said Monday that it is highly likely that the free education budget will be reviewed downwards.

Hanse-Himarwa, who was addressing her staff in Windhoek, said the ministry anticipates a reduced budget for 2017/18 and that this will compel them to review their allocations.

Free education for primary school was introduced in 2013, while free education for secondary was introduced in 2016.

The health ministry allocated 255 million Namibia dollars (19.7 million U.S. dollars) for free education in the 2016/17 financial year.

Now with the tightening of the expenditure and the cuts made last year, Hanse-Himarwa said her ministry will give priority to the school feeding program and the payment of utility bills.

She also said her ministry will fund external examinations and the provision of teaching aids and text books.

Most of the departments such as the Namibia College of Open Learning, the Arts Council of Namibia, the Namibia National Art Gallery, and the National Theatre of Namibia that fall under the education ministry will also be affected. Endit