[{"bbox": [83, 105, 1147, 319], "category": "Text", "text": "in Namibia. In the informal settlements (especially adjoining Windhoek) many ECD's are located in very unsuitable corrugated iron structures that lack adequate ventilation or sanitation facilities. Some ECDs, including model ECDs, have been constructed under the 11th EDF, but they are not all well located close to poor communities and some need supplementary investment to achieve their full potential (play areas, sanitation facilities, equipment for the disabled, external shade screens, fences, learning materials etc.)⁸. While 54% of the Namibian population have improved access to sanitation, the percentage is significantly lower in rural areas -28% against an estimated 90% in urban areas. Challenges include open defecation, inadequate access to potable water, inadequate toilets, shortage of hand washing facilities and insufficient hygiene practices."}, {"bbox": [83, 344, 1147, 478], "category": "Text", "text": "The MoEAC PPE classrooms have been constructed within the boundaries of existing primary schools, and conform to established construction standards, but demand remains greatly in excess of supply. This means that many children enter primary school with little or no preparation, contributing to high \"repetition rates\", (i.e., a child being put through the same year at school twice). This is both demotivating for the child and inefficient from a resource allocation perspective."}, {"bbox": [83, 503, 1147, 716], "category": "Text", "text": "From a wider, contextual perspective, Namibia is lagging behind with its statistical data collection. The last census was in 2011, and the last major household surveys were conducted in 2016. The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has technical capacity but lacks funds, and these major exercises have not been budgeted for in the 2022/23 national budget. As in many other countries, COVID-19 was one contributor to delays. While the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Assessment tool highlights regional and linguistic variations within Namibia, it is also based on obsolete data. Recent mapping of informal settlements adjoining Windhoek highlighted by Namibian NGO Development Workshop Namibia (DWN) with EU 11th EDF financing indicates their rapid expansion since 2010, a consequence of internal migration. Comprehensive needs-based ECD and PPE depends on improved national level mapping."}, {"bbox": [83, 742, 1147, 1008], "category": "Text", "text": "In the education sector, the MoEAC utilises a good Education Management Information System (EMIS), and prepares annual reports covering key enrolment data. The MGEPESW disposes of a relatively new and tailored ECD-EMIS. Capacity building in data collection and data management was provided to the Ministry's staff under the 11th EDF Programme. Complete annual surveys were done for only 2 years: 2018 and 2019, and funding for the annual surveys has not been mainstreamed onto the sector budget in a sustainable manner to date. The 2018 data is complete, cleaned and published, 2019 data has been collected but not yet published, and in 2020 and 2021 no surveys of ECDs were conducted due to COVID-19. It is understood that no budget has been made available to collect the necessary data in 2022. Discussions with key stakeholders (MoEAC and MGEPESW) reveal a willingness of both parties to move towards an integrated EMIS that will enable much more coherent and joined up education planning, especially at ECD level as this is the feeder level for pre-primary and primary classes."}, {"bbox": [83, 1033, 1147, 1113], "category": "Text", "text": "The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted vulnerable groups. Progress recorded up until 2019 has stopped or even been lost. Hence, enrolment in ECD centres has decreased significantly over the last 2 years. Hunger and stunting have reached alarming levels, particularly in rural areas."}, {"bbox": [83, 1140, 1147, 1195], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action:"}, {"bbox": [83, 1219, 1147, 1380], "category": "Text", "text": "The responsibility for the management of the different education sub-sectors (ECD, pre-primary, primary and secondary education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education which includes non-formal education, out-of-school education, literacy programme, etc., open learning and distance education) is split between several actors and stakeholders who are operating under the overall coordination of the MoEAC. The current institutional setting provides a unified education sector and an opportunity to improve the sector policy setting and coordination, as well as overall sector governance and management."}, {"bbox": [83, 1405, 1147, 1512], "category": "Text", "text": "The MoEAC's main functions are policy formulation, sector resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, coordination and articulation of the different sub-sectors (alignment of policies) and delivery of skills and qualifications required for the labour market. This is done in close relation with the National Planning Commission (NPC), the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)."}, {"bbox": [71, 1587, 1158, 1661], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ The 11th EDF included variable tranche indicators for both the construction of ECD facilities and for PPE classrooms. Although the budget support was untargeted, in practice the Government of Namibia earmarked funding for specific education related activities including construction of ECDs and PPE classrooms."}, {"bbox": [578, 1662, 652, 1688], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page | 7"}]