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Regional Directorates of Education

Ohangwena Region

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The main aim of the region was to improve learner performance in all Grades. In this regard Inspectors of Education, Resource Teachers, Advisory Teachers and Cluster Centre Principals, Heads of Departments (HOD), Teachers and Parents had an important role to play in the monitoring and implementation of curriculum and programs to ensure that learners performed at the expected standard.  The region had 87,450 learners that were enrolled in 232 schools and taught by 2, 779 teachers. The schools are divided into 6 Circuits which are further subdivided into 33 Clusters. The region was guided by the Ministry of Education’s broad goals of access, equity, quality, democracy, lifelong learning and the fight against HIV and AIDS in setting the following objectives:

Objectives set for 2005/2006

· To ensure equitable access to education for all formal and non-formal learners including adult learners;

· To provide quality service to our clientele within the context of the policies of the Ministry and resources available;

· To ensure equitable access to the national examinations for full-time, part-time and special education students;

· To successfully administer and facilitate the examination and certification functions of the national examinations i.e. the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC), the Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate (ordinary level) and the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (High level) examinations as well as the semi-external end of primary (Grade 7) examination;

· To continuously monitor and improve the security of examinations and the efficiency of heads of examination centres and invigilators;

· To provide information and examination statistics for the monitoring of quality standards in the education system;

· To improve quality of education through intervention in the classrooms by advisory teachers, resource teachers and inspectors of education;

· To embark on clustering system with support from the Basic Education Project III, and to encourage co-operation, solidarity and a sense of sharing of available resources among schools within the clusters;

· Developing human capacity at schools through training in line with the ETSIP principles;

· Expanding accessibility to literacy programmes and embark on mass mobilization in rural communities;

· Increase awareness of the impact of HIV and AIDS on education in the region and encourage the mitigation thereof, in the line with the HIV policy and ETSIP;

· Inculcate discipline among principals, teachers and learners;

· To develop the spirit of dedication, commitment and high work ethics among principals and teachers.

· The Extension of curriculum and establishment of new schools were successfully carried out. Inspectors of Education and regional staff visited a large number of schools during the first term in 2006. The purpose was to assess and monitor the curriculum implementation. Professional support was rendered were necessary. Training in the implementation and application of National Standards and Performance Indicators was conducted at circuit level. Principals and teachers were provided with copies of these documents. Lower Primary teachers received training on lower primary curriculum reform (Grade 3 & 4) in November 2005. The Special Education Section successfully carried out important activities, such as Career Guidance Exhibition, Basic Counselling Skills, and Hearing Screening etc

· Most of the schools managed to permit local auditors to audit their finances as prescribed in the Education Act, Act 16 of 2001. Partners and stakeholders in Education rendered financial support to some of our schools. For example, BES 3, USAID/AED have awarded OVC Grants of more than N$ 67,000.00 to schools in the region. A Regional Education and Training bursary fund was established last year and the region managed to send three students to UNAM for the 2006 academic year to train as teachers for Mathematics and Science.

· HIV and AIDS awareness activities and programs were carried out at all schools through My Future is My Choice and Window of Hope.

· Construction work of a new secondary school at Ondobe is progressing well. Shituwa JSS and Oshidute CS are being upgraded to offer senior secondary education as from January 2007.

· Thirty nine Basic Information Science/Library teachers in Eenhana circuit, 23 teachers from Ohakafiya circuit and 37 from Endola circuit were trained. For the JSC examination, 110 markers from Ohangwena region were appointed to assist the DNEA with the marking of examination scripts, which was written from 488 JSC centres.

· Clustering system is fully implemented and most of the schools in the region are utilizing Cluster heads who monitor schools in their area of jurisdiction on daily basis. This system has relieved the inspector of the burden of running from one school to another. Instead, they now use cluster centres.

· Inspector of Hostels, Works Inspector, Regional Literacy Officer and Lower Primary Advisory teacher were appointed. Literacy promoters and communities were informed about the services of the CLDC and usage of library. In addition to that a clerk Grade SP2 and 262 Literacy Promoters were appointed and 259 centres were established.

· 164 professionally qualified teachers were appointed and some schools in remote areas did not get applications from qualified teachers and as such, 120 unqualified teachers were appointed on temporary basis. Also 27 Head of Departments Grade T4A L1, 28 principals Grade T4A L2 and 1 Principal Grade T4B L1 were appointed. The region also recorded 54 staff resignations from employment, 23 retirements and 17 deaths.

· The work of the region was hampered by a shortage of transport. Schools in rural areas are still struggling to get qualified teachers due to lack of teacher housing. Prolonged illness among teaching staff remains a serious and difficult situation to cope with. Some schools do not have enough classrooms, libraries and laboratories. A number of schools in the Ohakafiya, Okongo, Eenhana and Ondobe circuits do not have water and electricity supply. The Eenhana community Library is not only under-staffed with cleaners but it needs ICT and Audio equipment as well.

· Some parents or caregivers also lack the understanding of the importance of Window of Hope Program.

· The region is experiencing an increase in the number of unclaimed school certificates.

· The Ministry should address the shortage of classrooms, furniture, stationery and textbooks as urgently as possible and build teachers houses as well as bringing back the remote area package as an incentive to teachers.

· Visually impaired centres to be equipped at least with necessary teaching and learning aids.

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