Education: Is There Money Or Not?

ALLOW me a space in your brilliant newspaper to air my views concerning the N$7 million that was sent back by the Ministry of Education to the treasury. What are the motives of the Ministry to send back these monies?

If one takes into consideration the pressing issues and problems facing our education system on a daily basis, like most government schools, especially in rural areas, which are in a poor state and these schools have no adequate materials to meet the demands of the learners and teachers alike. Yet the Ministry saw it fit to return the millions back to the treasury.You do not have to be blind to realize that some schools in Namibia lack the necessary basic materials e.g. books and computers? How many schools are without proper libraries and classrooms? How many students at Unam and other tertiary institutions are struggling to pay their tuition fees and will not write the exam at the end of the year? How many youth are unable to further their studies due to lack of funds? Why can’t the Ministry use this money to address these issues? I can recall, when I was a learner at Onguti SSS in Oshikoto Region from the year 2002 to 2005, we used to share textbooks, for example in grade 12 I can remember sharing a textbook with four other learners, and the reason was that the Ministry could not afford to buy enough books. Now the question is, was that true? Has this problem been addressed? Are the schools like Martin Ndumba Senior Secondary, which is in a very embarrassing state, been renovated? If not, what is the problem if the Ministry has money that they don’t know what to do with? Are the planners in the Ministry aware that there are schools e.g. Onashikuvu school where learners are being taught in classrooms made of aluminium? Did the officials at the headquarters consult inspectors and directors in the respective regions? Instead of returning those monies to the treasury, the Ministry could have used it to assist students, especially at UNAM and the Polytechnic to settle their debts, renovate schools e.g. Martin Ndumba, build more Libraries and technical schools, buy books for schools, computers, printers to mention but a few!Because the Ministry normally uses the lack of funds as the excuse when it fails to meet the demands of the people, yet they are returning millions, I think some people in the Ministry are really failing to plan. Be informed that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!Let us work harder in order for Vision 2030 to become a reality. God bless NamibiaSem Paul KatetaOshikoto Region