The Wretched of the Namibian Nation

Markus Munenge, African Resurgence through Education (ARTE), writes:

Successful education systems generally have strong community, parental and learner identification with school objectives and school processes. In the Namibian education system today there are - among many challenges - two fundamental issues that transcend the boundaries of all regions, consequently affecting the academic performance in almost all schools. These are: Parental involvement in education and discipline among leaners.

I taught in three schools in the Kavango Region as a teacher and as Head of Department. Back then, we battled with these two issues. I served as principal in the Kunene Region for more than three years - again parental involvement and discipline were problematic. I have now been an advisory teacher in the same region for more than three years. During my many visits to schools here, ‘parental involvement’ and ‘discipline’ were issues in almost every school. I have visited various schools around the country and the same challenges resurfaced again and again.

In February 2011, the Ministry of Education under the new leadership of Dr Abraham Iyambo and Dr David Namwandi sanctioned an operation wherein nine PQA (Programme and Quality Assurance) staff members joined the Regional Teams to investigate the cause of poor performance in Grade 10.

In Kunene, Mr Mathew Shimhopileni (Deputy Director at PQA) led the Kunene Regional Team of which I was a member. We visited more than five schools. In 2011 PQA organised a workshop for various stakeholders in Otjiwarongo. In this meeting, Dr Inaani Lisony Kahikuata-Kariko of Inclusive Education in Namibian indicated that parents’ involvement in their children’s education matters was almost non-existent.

On February 10, 2012 the Directorate of Education invited Dr David Namwandi to the Kunene Region to familiarise himself with the challenges that contributes to poor performance in Grade 10 and 12. At this meeting Mrs Bernadette Maria Jagger, the Acting Director of Education, also referred to parental involvement and discipline as the major challenges. Adding to all the voices of concern former Governor of Kunene Region Mr Dudu Murorua said, “If I do not dream for my children to be better in the future and do something about it, what am I as a parent?”

Still there are no austere measures put in place to address the national challenges we face in schools.

This piece, however, seeks to open a dialogue with all stakeholders in education and TIPEEG (Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth) in particular, in pursuit of a lasting solution.

We all know the important role parents, community leaders, constituency counsellors and faith-based leaders can play in education

I know there are thousands of unemployed youths. There are many who stand a chance to improve their academic results and pursue further schooling but there are those I refer to as the ‘wretched of the nation’ - the young people whose lives are a misery, no matter how hard they try.

I suggest that TIPEEG ventures into the area of creating jobs wherein young people are trained as Community Activists. These activists will then run continuous campaigns to educate parents the importance of education, the roles parents should play in education, conduct outreach programmes in pursuit of the restoration of moral and cultural values, propounding the essence of good morals as prerequisites to harmonious living and teaching the analogue of good behaviour in schools.

The Community Activists would work closely with schools and the Ministry of Education could then ensure that such interventions are monitored, evaluated, reinforced and maintained.
We would then begin to enhance progress in schools and ultimately accentuate and underscore excellent academic performance.

Having done that, we would have not only attempted to eradicate unemployment but have made efforts to help us as a nation and deal with the challenges that affect the education of the Namibian child. Parents will begin to do their part, discipline and moral values would be enhanced and schools will start performing academically, and we would create a better future for all of us.