Program Profile
Marking our 20th year of service in Namibia, WorldTeach is proud to continue partnering with the Namibian Ministry of Education, a collaboration which has allowed us to send over 500 volunteers to the country since its independence in 1990. Since this time, WorldTeach volunteers have assisted the MOE in efforts to improve educational outcomes and ameliorate the inequalities of the Apartheid era.
Volunteer Role
WorldTeach volunteers work as English, Mathematics and/or Science teachers, in a wide range of schools, from primary to secondary schools, from rural to more urban. Most volunteers will be responsible for 20-25 hours of classroom teaching, including lesson preparation and grading. In addition to teaching at least one core subject (English, Math or Science), volunteers are usually assigned additional elective courses to teach, such as Physical Education, Art, Health and Computer Studies. Some may be asked to also work in the school library or computer room..jpg)
In addition to their subject teaching, interested volunteers are also encouraged to serve as HIV/AIDS Resource Teachers. As an HIV/AIDS Resource Teacher, you will help facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness programs, such as clubs or activities that build life skills and empower learners to make healthy decisions. You may work with teachers and administrators to integrate HIV/AIDS awareness into subject teaching and throughout the school.
Volunteers often engage in other secondary projects, such as teaching extra English classes, coaching sports, starting art clubs, developing the school library or computer room, or establishing scholarship funds to help learners access further education. Volunteers have a prime opportunity to contribute their skills and interests to the broader needs of their school and community.
Please note that only volunteers assigned to teach English as a Second or Foreign Language in Namibia will be eligible to receive WorldTeach TEFL certification. For all departures leaving on or after July 1, 2012, an additional $50 is required by volunteers to participate in the TEFL Certification program.
Placements & Housing
The majority of volunteers are placed at government schools, in rural areas where there the greatest shortage of qualified teachers. Occasionally, volunteers are placed at private schools as well as church-affiliated schools, which both follow the Ministry-approved curriculum. As mentioned, many teaching placements are in relatively remote areas, where the roads tend to be good but the public transportation and traffic limited. That said, volunteers are able to secure a ride to the nearest town when needed.
Placements are typically individual, so that the maximum number of schools can be served. While you are likely to be the only WorldTeach volunteer at your school, there may be other WorldTeach volunteers in the town or region, or teachers from other international volunteer organizations (e.g. Peace Corps) at your school or nearby. Though WorldTeach has placed volunteers in all 13 Regions throughout its history, currently volunteers are clustered in the northern regions as well as the coast; however, placements adjust from year to year as per the needs of the Ministry of Education and its schools.
Host schools are responsible for volunteer accommodation, and almost exclusively, volunteers live in government-provided housing. These homes typically have 2-3 bedrooms, with which volunteers usually share with Namibian colleagues and/or with other volunteers (e.g. WorldTeach, Peace Corps, VSO, etc). Volunteers will have their own furnished room, although share common rooms with their housemates, if they have them. WorldTeach requires that all housing have running water, electricity and fully-equipped kitchens; volunteers are expected to be able to cook for themselves.
In some instances, a school will identify a host family to provide volunteer accommodation, but they too would provide the volunteer with his/her own room, with government-provided furniture and cooking facilities. In addition, occasionally the Field Director will identify a placement in need of a teacher without these amenities in more rural communities and would be in touch with volunteers about their comfort level with such living arrangements before finalizing any 
placement.
Namibians, regardless of cultural group, uniformly love meat. The staples are beef, chicken, goat, and mutton. Barbecues, locally called braais, are the focus of most festive occasions. Depending on the region, other staples include porridge, spinach, and sour milk. Vegetarian and other diets can be accommodated.
Click here for 2010 placements. Please note that placements vary from year to year, depending on school and regional needs.
Financial Information
$4,990. This includes pre-departure information and preparation, round-trip international airfare, health insurance, in-country orientation, transportation to your site, meals and housing during orientation and throughout your teaching service, and 24-hour field support. Matching grants for up to $500 available.
WorldTeach Namibia volunteers receive a monthly stipend directly from the Ministry of Education once they begin teaching of approximately $350 per month. This stipend is more than ample to cover the costs of food, local travel and utilities.
Many volunteers are able to successfully fundraise all or a significant portion of their volunteer
commitment. Please refer to our fundraising guide for more information about fundraising possibilities.
Read more about costs and services here.
Requirements
Volunteers must: