WINDHOEK,June 8 – The Capricorn Foundation has become the first Namibian private-sector organisation to invest in a new national programme designed to transform early childhood development, committing at least N$5 million over the next three years.
The investment, announced on Tuesday, positions the Foundation at the forefront of efforts to strengthen early childhood education through an innovative outcomes-based funding model being developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture and EOF.
The programme, expected to launch in 2027, aims to benefit more than 25,000 children over three years. Funding will only be released once independent assessments confirm measurable improvements in children’s development, nutrition and the quality of early childhood development centres.
The Foundation’s commitment marks a significant milestone in shifting responsibility for education reform towards local leadership, with Namibia’s private sector playing a direct role in improving learning outcomes for the country’s youngest citizens.
Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp welcomed the partnership, saying it reflects a shared commitment to building stronger foundations for learning, while Capricorn Foundation Executive Director Marlize Horn said the initiative represents an investment in both children and Namibia’s long-term future.
The partners will continue mobilising additional funding ahead of the programme’s rollout, with the goal of delivering measurable improvements in early childhood development and creating a model that could shape education reform across the region.
