Literacy, numeracy boost for Kunene
The Capricorn Foundation has expanded its support for education in Namibia by strengthening its partnership with Meerkat Learning’s Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Programme in the Kunene Region.
Building on its initial investment in 2024, which benefited 473 learners at D.F. Uirab Primary School in Khorixas, the foundation’s support has now grown to reach around 1 200 learners and 200 teachers across the region.
Since 2024, the Capricorn Foundation has invested N$798 000 through its Education Focus Area to help improve foundational literacy and numeracy. Encouraging results over the past two years have reinforced the Foundation’s commitment to expanding the programme.
In 2025, approximately 1 000 learners from 10 schools participated in the programme. In 2026, the initiative will expand further to 15 schools across five education circuits, including remote and nomadic communities.
Plans also include the first TaRL–NAMCOL Holiday Camp aimed at supporting out-of-school youth.
“The Capricorn Foundation commends Meerkat Learning for its dedication to achieving meaningful results and making a real difference in learners’ foundational education in the Kunene Region,” said Marlize Horn, Executive Director of the Capricorn Foundation.
Over the past two years, the TaRL Programme has shown steady and measurable progress in improving learners’ literacy and numeracy skills. Assessments conducted in 2024 and 2025 highlight the programme’s impact: At Jack Francis Primary School, innumeracy dropped significantly from 75% to 21%; and at Otjimuhaka Mobile Unit and Ovituambu Primary School, which serve nomadic communities, learners’ division-level mathematics skills improved by up to 41%.
Several participating schools recorded reductions of between 20 and 50 percentage points in the number of learners unable to perform basic mathematical tasks.
These results reflect the programme’s learner-centred approach, which groups learners according to their actual learning levels rather than their age or grade.
“We are deeply grateful to the Capricorn Foundation for its continued support,” said Angelica Towne Amporo, Country Director of Meerkat Learning. “This investment enables us to bring this transformative teaching approach to schools that need it most. TaRL is a globally recognised programme designed to strengthen basic literacy and numeracy in primary schools.”
She added that in Namibia, the programme has been nationally endorsed and implemented by 10 Regional Directorates of the Ministry of Education since 2020, demonstrating that targeted, level-based instruction can significantly improve learning outcomes.
Looking ahead, Amporo says the programme’s focus will be on reaching even more learners in remote communities. “As we move into 2026, we are optimistic. We will deepen our reach into more remote schools, expand our impact and continue demonstrating that with the right tools, training and support, every teacher can help every child reach their full potential.”
