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HIGHLIGHTS OF 2008
 In
the Picture: The Minister of Education, Hon. Nangolo Mbumba
With the development and
implementation of the Education and Training Sector Improvement
Programme (ETSIP), the Ministry of Education remains consistent in
making accessible, quality education to learners and students of all
levels; namely pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational and technical
education; and tertiary education and training.
Great strides
have been achieved across the sector. However, the low transition rate
from upper primary to junior secondary level, resulting from high
repetition and drop outs rates at primary and junior secondary levels
coupled with poor system performance in terms of skills formation and
competency building for vocational and technical education level causes
great depression in education and training system. Poor skills formation
in the technical and vocational education and training system has
affected negatively, the employment rates of vocational and technical
education graduates.
Despite the
shortcomings within the system, Ministry is fully confident that through
ETSIP, the education and training sector will continue to play its
pivotal role in the creation of a knowledge-based economy, as required
in Vision 2030. The Ministry’s role is therefore to improve the quality
of education and training system in order that it is effective and
programmes are run and implemented efficiently.
It is therefore
important that the employees and management of the Ministry continue to
work hard to ensure that ETSIP becomes a reality for every Namibian
child.
Below are some of
the highlights of the past year (2008):
Ø
The
smooth admission of learners at the beginning of the 2008 school
academic year;
Ø
The
Government’s policy on Grade 10 repeaters was amended to make provision
for ALL Grade 10 repeaters to be re-admitted into the formal
education system;
Ø
The
Government of the Republic of Namibia and the USA Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) signed a compact worth N$2.3 billion in July 2008 to
reduce poverty through economic growth. About US$144 million or about
N$1.1 billion is earmarked for the education and training sector,
specifically the expansion and refurbishment of up to 47 schools,
expansion of vocational and skills training, provision of textbooks,
construction of three regional study resource centres, and support for
the setting up of a loan scheme for tertiary studies;
Ø
During
the year, 577 classrooms were built (this also includes classrooms at
new schools), schools, 18 laboratories were built, 28 administration
blocks, 38 teacher houses were built. A total of 902 spaces was also
made available for hostel accommodation countrywide.
Ø
A
per-capita funding Policy for primary and secondary education Policy
developed to facilitate equitable distribution of resources to regions,
schools and learners, was approved by Cabinet. The formula also includes
private schools that are receiving a subsidy from the Ministry of
Education. The formula requires that 10 % of the total school population
of a private school be from a disadvantaged background for them to
qualify for a full subsidy from the Ministry;
Ø
Pre-primary education has been shifted back to the Ministry of Education
from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare;
Ø
The
professional development for teachers, principals and teacher educators
continued throughout the year;
Ø
The
number of unqualified and under-qualified teachers employed in 2008 has
been reduced following a directive from the Permanent Secretary to all
regional offices. Unqualified and under- qualified teachers were ONLY
employed where it was difficult to obtain applications and interest from
qualified teachers, especially in language subjects;
Ø
The
National External School Evaluation throughout the country with the
objective of evaluating the performances of selected schools according
to the National Standards and Performance Indicators continued;
Ø
The
Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) continues to allocate
loan awards to students to pursue their studies at tertiary institutions
and vocation training centres.
Ø
Parliament passed the Vocational Education and Training Act (Act.1 of
2008). The act allows for the establishment of the Namibia Training
Authority (NTA), the Board of the NTA and the National Training Fund.
All of the above materialised in 2008;
Ø
Information
and Technology Division in the Ministry offered International Computer
Driving License (ICDL) course to 700 staff members of the Ministry and
trainees from the Windhoek Vocational Training Centre. The training at
Regional offices and other training institutions will continue this
year;
Ø
The
deployment of ICT through the Ministry’s Tech/na initiative which
started in 2007 continued throughout the year. The initiative is aimed
at producing an ICT literate Namibian nation that is able to participate
in the fast changing world brought about by ICT and other related
developments;
Ø
The
design, development, launch and implementation of the National Textbook
Policy was necessitated by the need to effectively and efficiently plan
and manage the provision and distribution of textbooks and other
learning support materials to schools for the benefit of all learners
and teachers;
Ø
The
number of beneficiaries of the Namibia School Feeding Programme (NSFP)
was increased last year, from just above 80 000 to over 190 000. The
NSFP was established to provide additional nutrition to orphans and
vulnerable children in primary schools as well as to encourage regular
school attendance;
Ø
The
Education Sector Policy on Orphans and Vulnerable Children was launched;
Ø
The
Workplace Policy was launched and the Workplace Wellness Programme was
implemented;
Ø
The
Namibian Sign Language syllabus was developed and approved by the
Examination Board and the Sign Language was
written as an examination subject for the Grade 10 Junior Secondary
Certificate (JSC) national examinations for the first time in 2008.
Ø
A
Namibian Sign Language dictionary was also developed with the assistance
of the Namibia National Association for the Deaf (NNAD).
This
year (2009), the Ministry and its partners will continue to work hard to
ensure that ETSIP is fully implemented as planned. A number of
activities expected to be completed this year are listed below:
Ø
Continued improved access into the formal education system for Grade 10
learners who did not achieve the required points to be promoted to Grade
11;
Ø
In April 2009
Namibia will decentralise significant education functions to the
Regional Councils with implications for capacity development at that
level;
Ø
The
Policy on Pregnancy among Learners in Schools is currently under review
and is expected to be re-launched this year;
Ø
The
National Professional Standards for Teachers was finalised and printed
and is expected to be launched this year. It outlines the competencies
that are needed in teachers;
Ø
A
national policy on Inclusive Education was drafted and is expected to be
finalised early this year after regional consultations have taken place.
The goal of the policy is to educate all learners with varying learning
and physical abilities in ordinary schools; and
Ø
The
Ministry hopes to acquire its own vehicle fleet for transport purposes
and to allow the Ministry’s officials to carry out their duties, most
specifically improving inspection and monitoring at school level in the
remotest of areas.
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