An Undeniable Disappointment

By: Editorial Comment

THERE appear to be attempts to play down the disappointing countrywide Grade 10 full-time results announced by the Directorate of National Examinations and Assessment this week.

It cannot be denied that it is not positive when over half those

who sat for the examinations have failed.

Neither should it be forgotten that many of these will not

continue with their full-time schooling because of inability to get

places or because they are now over-age.

 

This in turn will add to the already large numbers of unemployed

and under-skilled youth on the streets of this country with dim

prospects of jobs in the future.

 

The Ministry of Basic Education needs to take a long, hard look

at results that have deteriorated over the past few years, and

establish whether it is the quality of teaching and/or other

factors that is responsible for the very high failure rate.

 

The results speak for themselves:Out of 28 870 full-time Grade

10 candidates who wrote exams this year, only 13 177 will proceed

to Grade 11.

 

The rest must enrol with Namcol or end up on the streets.

 

Although the Ministry says the performance of full-time

candidates this year is better than in 2003, again the statistics

speak for themselves.

 

Of the Grade 12 or HIGSCE candidates who have achieved the entry

requirement for university, the pass rate has steadily decreased

over the past three years.

 

In 2002 there was an 80 per cent pass rate; in 2003 it dropped

to 76,6 percent and this year the numbers have again fallen to 73,4

per cent.

 

HIGCSE is of more concern because these are pupils regarded as

the cream of the crop.

 

Yet their results have deteriorated over the last three years

and no one is saying anything about that.

 

Part-time students, particularly of Grade 10 level, have done

better than their full-time counterparts, and this is the only

pleasing note in the examinations outcome.

 

It is vitally important that Namibia take serious note of the

downward trend and the Ministry deploy all its efforts to ensure

that they can turn things around in the year ahead.

 

High Time For Ramatex WE were pleased to report this week that

N$12 million is to be spent to put a stop to the pollution of the

city's water resources by the Ramatex textile factory.

 

For a long time, The Namibian reported on the pollution of our

water supplies, but it seemed that the powers-that-be were in a

state of denial or dragging their feet in either acknowledging the

fact of polluting water resources, or the need to do something

about it.

 

Either reports were ignored, or this newspaper was labelled as a

troublemaker.

 

We have said before, and we repeat, that while it is very

positive to have job creation in Namibia, it is of equal importance

to ensure that adherence to environmental concerns is made a part

of the process.

 

It is therefore vital that 'miscalculations' in the factory's

construction, as they have been termed, be rectified in order to

halt the salt from the dyeing processes finding its way into the

city's water supply and endangering the health of inhabitants of

Windhoek in the process.

 

Construction on changes to the factory's recycling plant is due

to start early next year.

 

Better late than never.

 

Nonetheless, it remains disturbing that those involved took so

long to deal with an issue that is of vital importance when it

comes to the health of the nation.

 

Best Wishes To All THE Namibian would like to take this

opportunity to wish all our readers, advertisers and supporters a

safe and restful holiday period and to thank them for their support

during the year past and for the year ahead.

 

While many in the country are going on leave, not everyone is on

holiday at this time, and we extend best wishes to those working

throughout the festive season.

 

To avoid senseless loss of life, we urge Namibians to be

cautious and careful on our roads over this period - to drive with

their lights on to ensure good visibility for oncoming drivers; to

take time for the journey rather than rush to their destinations;

to ensure sober habits, whether on the road or not; and not to

pollute the roadside with bottles thrown from moving vehicles.

 

The sight of empty bottles next to the road near Arandis is not

pleasant, to say the least.

 

In the process we can also minimise the workload for essential

services, such as police, traffic officials or hospital staff, who

have to work at this time.

 

This is our last edition for 2004 and we will be back again with

our first edition for 2005 on January 3.

 

Neither should it be forgotten that many of these will not continue

with their full-time schooling because of inability to get places

or because they are now over-age.This in turn will add to the

already large numbers of unemployed and under-skilled youth on the

streets of this country with dim prospects of jobs in the

future.The Ministry of Basic Education needs to take a long, hard

look at results that have deteriorated over the past few years, and

establish whether it is the quality of teaching and/or other

factors that is responsible for the very high failure rate.The

results speak for themselves:Out of 28 870 full-time Grade 10

candidates who wrote exams this year, only 13 177 will proceed to

Grade 11.The rest must enrol with Namcol or end up on the

streets.Although the Ministry says the performance of full-time

candidates this year is better than in 2003, again the statistics

speak for themselves.Of the Grade 12 or HIGSCE candidates who have

achieved the entry requirement for university, the pass rate has

steadily decreased over the past three years.In 2002 there was an

80 per cent pass rate; in 2003 it dropped to 76,6 percent and this

year the numbers have again fallen to 73,4 per cent.HIGCSE is of

more concern because these are pupils regarded as the cream of the

crop.Yet their results have deteriorated over the last three years

and no one is saying anything about that.Part-time students,

particularly of Grade 10 level, have done better than their

full-time counterparts, and this is the only pleasing note in the

examinations outcome.It is vitally important that Namibia take

serious note of the downward trend and the Ministry deploy all its

efforts to ensure that they can turn things around in the year

ahead. High Time For Ramatex WE were pleased to report this week

that N$12 million is to be spent to put a stop to the pollution of

the city's water resources by the Ramatex textile factory.For a

long time, The Namibian reported on the pollution of our water

supplies, but it seemed that the powers-that-be were in a state of

denial or dragging their feet in either acknowledging the fact of

polluting water resources, or the need to do something about

it.Either reports were ignored, or this newspaper was labelled as a

troublemaker.We have said before, and we repeat, that while it is

very positive to have job creation in Namibia, it is of equal

importance to ensure that adherence to environmental concerns is

made a part of the process.It is therefore vital that

'miscalculations' in the factory's construction, as they have been

termed, be rectified in order to halt the salt from the dyeing

processes finding its way into the city's water supply and

endangering the health of inhabitants of Windhoek in the

process.Construction on changes to the factory's recycling plant is

due to start early next year.Better late than never.Nonetheless, it

remains disturbing that those involved took so long to deal with an

issue that is of vital importance when it comes to the health of

the nation.Best Wishes To All THE Namibian would like to take this

opportunity to wish all our readers, advertisers and supporters a

safe and restful holiday period and to thank them for their support

during the year past and for the year ahead.While many in the

country are going on leave, not everyone is on holiday at this

time, and we extend best wishes to those working throughout the

festive season.To avoid senseless loss of life, we urge Namibians

to be cautious and careful on our roads over this period - to drive

with their lights on to ensure good visibility for oncoming

drivers; to take time for the journey rather than rush to their

destinations; to ensure sober habits, whether on the road or not;

and not to pollute the roadside with bottles thrown from moving

vehicles.The sight of empty bottles next to the road near Arandis

is not pleasant, to say the least.In the process we can also

minimise the workload for essential services, such as police,

traffic officials or hospital staff, who have to work at this

time.This is our last edition for 2004 and we will be back again

with our first edition for 2005 on January 3.

---