2 000 teachers face axe

AROUND 2 100 teachers face being axed from the profession if they do not upgrade their qualifications by the end of next year.

The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) yesterday warned its members, some of whom have been in the profession for more than 15 years, that they risked being kicked out of their jobs if they failed to meet the required qualifications by the end of 2007. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT Teachers at primary-school level need a three-year diploma as a minimum requirement, while those at secondary schools must at least have a four-year degree, according to a memorandum of understanding signed between the Government and Nantu in 1999.Nantu President Simeon Kavila said yesterday that a mini-survey conducted by the union revealed that 2 165 teachers will not be able to meet the deadline and might be booted.”We will, as a union, strive to get into fresh negotiations with the Government on these matters, but we would also love to urge the membership to be productive in their teaching and learning and to maintain the expected quality of service on top of everything, so that it complements job security,” he said.He warned teachers who have abandoned their studies to go back to their books immediately or risk losing their jobs.UNION SURPRISE Kavila surprised the media during the briefing by claiming that Nantu was not party to any component of the ambitious Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP) to overhaul the education system by 2020.ETSIP aims to promote quality in education and training outcomes by responding to key weaknesses in the education and training system.It is based on a 2003 study of the country’s education system, which revealed that Namibia’s productivity was low because of the poor quality of its labour force, which is largely uneducated.It showed that unemployment was also largely related to a lack of education.Several workshops have been held over the last year to get input from stakeholders but Nantu claims that although there were many facets of the programme that it supported, it was not a signatory to it.”At present the union cannot pronounce itself on the matters pertaining to ETSIP but we are in the process of compiling a document containing our objections with regards to ETSIP,” said Kavila.He said they were doing final consultations with teachers to gauge their feelings before submitting their document.”This will ensure that the final draft of this programme will be a collective effort from all stakeholders and not another rubber stamp that could fail the test of time,” the Nantu leader said.Government plans to spend N$12,6 billion over the next 10 years to implement ETSIP.TERMS OF ENDEARMENT Teachers at primary-school level need a three-year diploma as a minimum requirement, while those at secondary schools must at least have a four-year degree, according to a memorandum of understanding signed between the Government and Nantu in 1999.Nantu President Simeon Kavila said yesterday that a mini-survey conducted by the union revealed that 2 165 teachers will not be able to meet the deadline and might be booted. “We will, as a union, strive to get into fresh negotiations with the Government on these matters, but we would also love to urge the membership to be productive in their teaching and learning and to maintain the expected quality of service on top of everything, so that it complements job security,” he said.He warned teachers who have abandoned their studies to go back to their books immediately or risk losing their jobs.UNION SURPRISE Kavila surprised the media during the briefing by claiming that Nantu was not party to any component of the ambitious Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme (ETSIP) to overhaul the education system by 2020.ETSIP aims to promote quality in education and training outcomes by responding to key weaknesses in the education and training system.It is based on a 2003 study of the country’s education system, which revealed that Namibia’s productivity was low because of the poor quality of its labour force, which is largely uneducated.It showed that unemployment was also largely related to a lack of education.Several workshops have been held over the last year to get input from stakeholders but Nantu claims that although there were many facets of the programme that it supported, it was not a signatory to it.”At present the union cannot pronounce itself on the matters pertaining to ETSIP but we are in the process of compiling a document containing our objections with regards to ETSIP,” said Kavila.He said they were doing final consultations with teachers to gauge their feelings before submitting their document.”This will ensure that the final draft of this programme will be a collective effort from all stakeholders and not another rubber stamp that could fail the test of time,” the Nantu leader said.Government plans to spend N$12,6 billion over the next 10 years to implement ETSIP.