Staff Writer
The Bank of Namibia has concluded the 2026 National High School Competition, with Reverend Juuso Shikongo SS emerging as the national champion following the grand finale.
Windhoek High School secured second place, followed by Nuuyoma Secondary School in third and Saint Kizito College in fourth.
The national champion received N$50 000, while the second and third placed schools received N$30 000 and N$10 000, respectively. The fourth-place school received a preloaded Wi-Fi router.
The prizes recognise academic excellence while supporting the schools in their continued educational journey.
Held every second year, the Bank of Namibia National High School Competition is the Bank’s flagship public education initiative aimed at strengthening financial literacy and increasing young people’s understanding of central banking, economics and national economic issues.
Beyond testing knowledge, the competition seeks to develop critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork while encouraging learners to become informed and active participants in Namibia’s economic landscape.
The 2026 edition attracted a record 206 schools and exposed 824 learners to central banking and economics.
The competition commenced with regional rounds across all 14 regions, with the top-performing school from each region earning the right to represent its region at the national semi-finals in Windhoek.
Four schools subsequently advanced from the semi-finals to contest the grand finale.
Speaking at the grand finale, deputy governor of the Bank of Namibia, Leonie Dunn, reflected on the competition’s evolution since its establishment in 2007 as the bank’s first flagship Corporate Social Investment and Responsibility initiative.
Nineteen years later, it remains the bank’s longest-running public education programme and has reached thousands of learners, with former participants going on to become bank employees, bursary recipients and contributors to Namibia’s economy.
Dunn emphasised that the competition extends beyond academic performance by helping learners understand the economic forces that shape their everyday lives and preparing them to participate in Namibia’s future.
Dunn highlighted initiatives such as STEAM, EduVision, the Tertiary Institutions Debating Challenge and the Bank’s bursary programme, which collectively seek to turn exposure and education into tangible opportunities.
She urged learners to actively pursue these opportunities and prepare themselves for a Namibian economy being reshaped by developments in oil and gas, green hydrogen, renewable energy, digital finance, and artificial intelligence.
Delivering keynote remarks on behalf of the minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture, Sanet Steenkamp, Elizabeth Ndjendja, deputy director in the ministry, commended the bank for investing in an initiative that makes economics and finance practical and accessible to learners.
The Bank of Namibia said it remains committed to investing in the financial and economic education of young Namibians and creating platforms that connect classroom learning with the economic realities shaping the country.
Through the National High School Competition and complementary initiatives such as STEAM, EduVision, the Tertiary Institutions Debating Challenge and the bank’s bursary programme, the bank will continue to broaden access to knowledge, encourage academic excellence and equip young people to participate meaningfully in Namibia’s economic development.
