Kunene Region at a Crossroads: A Himbacracy Reflection on Grade 11 Performance and the Way Forward

 

Kunene Region at a Crossroads: A Himbacracy Reflection on Grade 11 Performance and the Way Forward

The Grade 11 performance results for the 2025 academic year in the Kunene Region present a sobering but necessary moment of reflection. With a total of 1,096 learners enrolled across the region and only 248 learners, representing 23%, achieving the minimum requirement of three Cs, the results highlight deep-rooted structural challenges within the regional education system. These outcomes should not be interpreted merely as a measure of learner ability, but rather as an indicator of systemic pressures related to access, resourcing, admission practices, and learner preparedness. From a Himbacracy philosophical perspective, education outcomes must be understood within their social, cultural, and temporal contexts.

A closer examination of individual school performance reveals clear patterns. Schools such as Kamanjab Combined School and Braunfels Agricultural High School performed relatively well, achieving 66% and 55% respectively. These schools have smaller learner populations and, in the case of Braunfels, a specialised institutional focus that aligns learners with structured academic and vocational expectations. Their performance suggests that manageable enrolment numbers, focused curricula, and clearer admission pathways contribute positively to learner success. These schools demonstrate that when learners are placed in environments that match their academic readiness and interests, improved outcomes are possible.

Several schools recorded mid-range performance, with results between 40% and 44%. Institutions such as Puutuavanga Secondary School, Outjo Secondary School, Omuhonga Combined School, and Okanguati Combined School serve large and diverse catchment areas and often admit learners with varying academic backgrounds. These schools carry the dual burden of accessibility and inclusivity, frequently absorbing learners through automatic progression systems without sufficient remedial support. Their performance reflects effort under constrained conditions rather than a lack of commitment or competence.

The most concerning trend emerges from schools with very high enrolment figures and extremely low performance outcomes. Schools such as Cornelius Goreseb Secondary School, Alpha Combined School, Musaño Combined School, and Kaoko-Otavi Combined School each enrolled large numbers of learners yet recorded percentages ranging from 1% to 21%. These figures raise critical questions about class size, teacher workload, learner support mechanisms, and the effectiveness of uniform admission criteria across vastly different contexts. Large enrolments without proportional increases in infrastructure and human resources inevitably undermine teaching quality and learner performance.

Admission criteria across the region remain a silent but significant factor influencing these outcomes. Many schools operate under open or compulsory admission policies driven by geography, limited school availability, and socio-economic realities. While inclusive access to education is both constitutionally and morally imperative, equal access does not automatically translate into equal outcomes. Without differentiated pathways, bridging programmes, and early academic profiling, learners with diverse abilities are expected to meet uniform academic benchmarks, often to their disadvantage.

The Himbacracy philosophy emphasises that individuals should not be judged by comparison with others, but by their growth over time. However, time alone cannot compensate for structural imbalance. The current results indicate that Kunene is running a single academic race with learners who begin from vastly different starting points. Without adaptive systems that recognise these differences, many learners are left behind despite their potential.

Looking forward, the Kunene Region requires a bold and strategic intervention. The establishment of one fully resourced Regional School of Excellence would allow the nurturing of high-performing and high-potential learners from across all circuits. Such a school, equipped with strong leadership, qualified teachers, adequate boarding facilities, and modern learning resources, would not promote elitism but rather serve as an investment in future regional professionals and leaders who can later contribute to local development.

Equally important is the creation of a dedicated pre-vocational or vocational secondary school within the region. Not all learners thrive within academically rigid frameworks, and many possess practical talents better suited to technical, agricultural, and entrepreneurial pathways. A vocationally oriented school would restore learner dignity, reduce academic congestion in mainstream schools, and align education with the economic realities and labour needs of the region.

In addition, enrolment patterns must be rebalanced, with high-density schools prioritised for additional teachers, learner support programmes, and infrastructural expansion. A regional review of admission policies is also necessary, focusing on early identification of learner strengths, strengthened foundations in lower grades, and the introduction of bridging and remedial programmes to support transition into senior secondary education.

In conclusion, the Grade 11 results should be viewed not as a verdict against learners or teachers, but as a message calling for systemic reform. From a Himbacracy perspective, education must move people forward without humiliation, create space for both academic excellence and practical skill development, and allow learners to compete with time and growth rather than unrealistic uniform standards. If Kunene invests wisely by establishing a school of excellence and a strong vocational pathway, the region will not only improve examination outcomes but also restore hope, relevance, and purpose to its education system.

Uerimanga Tjijombo

The Himbacracy Philosopher