Firstly, background information on the history of Namibian education since Independence with the implementation of the new Language Policy that prescribes the use English as medium of instruction from Grade 4. The examination system where candidates write the first of end of Basic Education examination in Grade 10 and how they progress from there to Grades 11 and 12 will then shortly be explained. The standard of the English language proficiency of teachers according to a survey will be brought in to explain what the situation regarding the use of English as medium of instruction in the classroom is. Also, the use of mother tongue instead of English as medium of instruction and the reasons for that will be dealt with. It is important to understand this in the light of the background information to see what is eventually expected in the examinations of Grade 10 and 12. Comments made by Chief Examiners in their annual Examiner's Reports in Grade 10 will help to understand the level of proficiency of candidates. Their English language proficiency makes it very difficult for candidates to understand the questions in the papers and to be able to answer the examination papers successfully. The most important part will deal with the results of a tracer study (2003) that compared the relation of results in Grade 10 to those achieved in Grade 12, the final school examination. It will be discussed with regard to the drop in English language marks, marks of home languages and the relation of the English marks to the candidates' overall performance in Grade 12. The implications of these findings with regard to the Language Policy will be brought in line. Possible reasons for these results and recommendations in the light of the language policy will be touched on.