Children’s Parliament ends session

THE first session of the Children’s Parliament ended on Friday in the National Assembly in Windhoek after several motions were adopted.

In a final communiqué, the 26 young Members of Parliament said they hoped their deliberations would receive consideration and that annual sessions could be held with children. “We recommend to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly to continue to entrench this tradition of annual sessions of the Children’s Parliament for the remainder of their tenure of office,” the communiqué states.Principal Parliamentary Clark Immanuel Nehoya said a report would be drafted on experiences gained during this inaugural session with recommendations for future sittings.”We are very inspired.If you look at the motions debated and the quality of the discussions by these young MPs, we hope this new tradition of a Children’s Parliament can continue,” Nehoya told The Namibian on Friday.”It was an exceptional experience for us,” said Ester Karises, an MP from the Kunene Region.”We could formally debate on issues concerning us as young citizens,” she told The Namibian.Kapuku Njembu, who attends school at Gobabis, said he hoped that the parliamentary session would have benefits in the young MPs’ home regions.”We have to look at our future and raise issues concerning us at different fora when we return home,” he said.The young MPs discussed topics including HIV-AIDS and how children in Namibia are affected by the pandemic, school dropouts, how to improve Grade 10 pass rates, lack of discipline in schools and street children.”We recommend to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly to continue to entrench this tradition of annual sessions of the Children’s Parliament for the remainder of their tenure of office,” the communiqué states.Principal Parliamentary Clark Immanuel Nehoya said a report would be drafted on experiences gained during this inaugural session with recommendations for future sittings.”We are very inspired.If you look at the motions debated and the quality of the discussions by these young MPs, we hope this new tradition of a Children’s Parliament can continue,” Nehoya told The Namibian on Friday.”It was an exceptional experience for us,” said Ester Karises, an MP from the Kunene Region.”We could formally debate on issues concerning us as young citizens,” she told The Namibian.Kapuku Njembu, who attends school at Gobabis, said he hoped that the parliamentary session would have benefits in the young MPs’ home regions.”We have to look at our future and raise issues concerning us at different fora when we return home,” he said.The young MPs discussed topics including HIV-AIDS and how children in Namibia are affected by the pandemic, school dropouts, how to improve Grade 10 pass rates, lack of discipline in schools and street children.