Time To Promote Schools Which Perform

ON the 2nd August 2010 I visited Vooruit Primary School in Otjiwarongo, one of the best schools in Otjozondjupa Region, in order to register my daughter for 2011 admission.

Knowing that the early bird catches the worm, I braced the cold morning and got at the school premises at two o’clock in the morning hoping to be the first one there. However, when I got there I found about a thousand desperate parents queuing up already. After a while, more thousands of parents joined the queue behind me and this was it despite the fact that only a few spaces for admission were available. I spoke to a few parents and some came as far north-eastern and southern parts of the country.
With hope of registering my daughter at Vooruit PS fading away, I managed to visit other schools around Otjiwarongo that same day and I was not surprised that at no any other school was there a queue. This was not because these other schools were done with their admissions, but because parents we want the best and quality possible education for our children.
The point I am trying to make here is; the government would continue to experience admission problems unless or until such a time that all educations goals are equally addressed, especially access, equity and quality. What is the point to register my child at a ‘failing’ school? Just so long as my child is going to ‘school’! Parents should be freely allowed to register their children at performing (in demand) schools as long as it is done on time and government should assist and encourage them (schools) by giving enough classrooms, teachers, textbooks and other teaching resources for them to prosper even more.

S. Haimbangu
Via e-mail

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