The International University of Management (IUM) and Meerkat Learning, a non-profit civic organisation running the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) programme in Namibia, officially signed a powerful Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday, 11 December 2025, at IUM Dorado Main Campus in Windhoek. This strategic partnership strengthens a shared mission to end learning poverty in Namibia using age-appropriate tools to improve basic literacy and numeracy skills.
The saying “failure to plan is a plan for failure” sets the tone for this collaboration. IUM does not only confront poverty in its physical form but also targets the deeper origins of poverty in Africa, which begin with a lack of education and knowledge.
During the signing ceremony, IUM Vice Chancellor Prof. Osmund Mwandemele emphasised that the partnership will equip the next generation of Namibian primary school teachers with the skills needed to assess and support learners effectively. He stated that IUM remains committed to improving the quality of primary teacher education to support the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture in its mission to end learning poverty in Namibia.
Meerkat Learning Academy Country Director Ms Angelica Towne Amporo highlighted that TaRL is a proven learner-centred approach that helps children build foundational skills by meeting them at their level. She shared that this partnership reflects a joint belief that every child can learn and that with the right tools, the right training and the right support, every teacher can help pupils reach their full potential.
IUM students are already engaging with the TaRL methodology through training sessions hosted at Dorado, Ongwediva and Nkurenkuru campuses. A total of 207 student teachers were trained in 2025 alone. The signing of the MOU expands an initiative that is already gaining impetus across the institution.
Education is one of our core competencies. Our success as IUM is not measured by the number of teachers we produce but by the impact these teachers make in cities, towns and far-reaching marginalised communities. At this very moment, IUM has a team in Ghana under the TeProd Project, integrating innovative green technology into education, a breakthrough model that will soon elevate teaching and learning in Namibia.
In conclusion, the future of Namibia, and the world at large, lies in the hands of our children. It is our shared responsibility to equip them with the right knowledge, skills and technologies that prepare them for success.