Namibia: Kavango Brainstorms on Better Results

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New Era (Windhoek)

29 August 2008
Posted to the web 29 August 2008

Petronella Sibeene
Rundu

Concerned about the never-changing poor performance of schools in the region, stakeholders in the education sector in the Kavango are meeting for three days to discuss ways in which they can improve the passing rates at schools.

The Kavango Regional Education Conference under the theme, "Towards Quality Teaching and Learning" brings together church leaders, elected councillors, Ministry of Education senior officials, donors and school principals in the region.

Director of Education for Kavango Alfons Dikuua told New Era this week that the conference, which started on Wednesday, seeks to draw up a programme that will address poor performance at schools in the Kavango.

"Since independence, school performance has been poor with the Grade 10 pass rate standing at 45 percent," said the regional director.

The conference will deliberate on increased transformation of knowledge and awareness as well as methods of teaching and learning, aimed at improved results.

Dikuua attributed the poor performance to poor foundation at the primary level that faces serious challenges regarding the quality of teaching of learners.

The system is such that learners who do not perform that well are allowed to move to the next grade. Considering that these learners progress at a low level, by the time they enter secondary school the problem with grasping concepts and lessons is unavoidable, hence the poor results.

"We as a region feel we have reached a stage where we need to sit and contemplate on these issues, get advice from stakeholders and see how we can change the situation," added Dikuua.

The education director further said lack of discipline among learners in the region has resulted in most of them performing poorly at school.

According to Dikuua, parents seem to have lost faith in disciplining their children and as a result see discipline as an issue that teachers at school should address.

"Some parents are of the opinion that they are not able to participate in the education of their children because they do not understand anything. It does not matter how big or small your contribution to better education may appear, it is equally important," supported the Governor of Kavango John Thighuru in a statement read on his behalf by Councillor Bonifacius Wakudumo.

The Governor said change can only take place in the sector if stakeholders collectively start thinking and acting according to what they would want the sector to achieve.

"We depend on the commitment, hard work and dedication of all teachers in the region for better results. We depend on school boards to function effectively and guide school authorities to better develop our schools," he reiterated.

The Governor added that success in education depends on learners realizing that they must make an effort in their studies.

The education sector gets the biggest chunk of the national budget, yet the results have not been that impressive in the sector.

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