Science and Mathematics Education Development in Namibia after Independence : The INSTANT Project

The In-service training and assistance for Namibian teachers (INSTANT) project was established after the independence of Namibia with the aim to guide the educational reforms in science and mathematics in secondary education. The paper provides an overview of the project's activities and reflects on the sustainability of project activities. It starts with a reflection on the political and educational context in Namibia after independence and the consequences for the design of the project. It introduces the areas in which the project has been active during the time it was operating: curriculum development and teacher development. Although sustainability was one of the main concerns of the project, the Ministry of Basic Education and Culture (MBEC) seemed less interested in sustainability of project achievements than in solving its immediate and urgent problems. The position of the project within the MBEC rather than the University of Namibia and the kind of activities to which the project was asked to contribute are raised as issues hampering sustainability. In spite of these problems, several long lasting effects can be reported as a result of the project's activities. These include a trained cadre of science and mathematics education leaders, physical science textbooks and a better understanding by teachers of what is meant by learner-centred education.