The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses, industry and economies across the globe in unprecedented ways and with far-reaching consequences. The effects of the pandemic were also evident in the education and training sector, causing major disruptions and impacting thousands of learners as training providers were forced to suddenly migrate to the on learning and teaching mode. While interventions by governments and other stakeholders are well documented, it is worth noting that the decisions made today in the context of COVID-19 will have long-term consequences for the future and quality of education. 

In order to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 and proactively protect the sector against similar occurrences in future, the NQA will host a virtual summit under the theme: The Dimensions of Quality Assurance in Education during COVID-19, scheduled for Wednesday, 11 November 2020.

The two-hour summit will bring together local and international experts and stakeholders from various organisations and groups within the broader education sector - to discuss the challenges experienced with online learning, particularly in relation to Quality Assurance as highlighted in a national survey conducted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation through the NQA and the Namibia Statistics Agency. Furthermore, through knowledge sharing and collaboration, the participants will collectively explore ways to enable the sector to pivot in order to ensure that training providers remain fit for purpose and aligned to customer expectations in the technology centred new normal.

The Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Itah Kandjii-Murangi will officially open the summit, while the following keynotes will be presented:

1. E-learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic – an African perspective – presented by Carolyn Medel-Anonuevo Head of the Education Unit of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa
2. Best practices for teaching and learning using technology – presented by Dr. Maggy Beukes-Amin (Namibian)

Also participating in the summit, will be representatives from key stakeholders in the education sector including the National Training Authority, National Council for Higher Education, Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund and the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions in Namibia.

The NQA strongly believes in public deliberation, democratic accountability, and intelligent collective action. Thus, interested stakeholders and the general public are urged to follow the proceedings of this deliberative summit on the NQA website (www.namqa.org) and Facebook page, @NQANamibia  to participate in the discussion and share ideas.