Through much the colony's history, both the Nama and Ovaherero were characterized as relics of another time and likely to die out on their own.  Though there were periods where certain groups were praised, most notably the Witbooi under Leutwein, the overarching perception of the natives as in a sense obsolete had the greatest effect on colonial policy.  The German effort in South West Africa could be characterized as native policy being abandoned for native massacre.  With this move to extermination, native education was not of particular concern to the colonial government, and therefore received little funding or regulation.