Ministry of Education responds

THE Ministry of Education has taken time out to respond to a number of the complaints about the Education Sector, which have been SMSed to The Namibian: * IS corporal punishment allowed at private schools? Lano Private School in the Oshikoto Region is beating our kids.

Can’t they use other disciplinary measures? – The Education Act clearly stipulate that a teacher or any other person employed at a State school or hostel or private school or hostel, commits a misconduct if such a teacher or person in the performance of his/her official duties imposes corporal punishment upon a learner. Any such actions should be reported to your school principal immediately.If the school principal is the one committing the misconduct, the matter should be reported to the Regional Education Office.* WHAT are examination fees for, if we are told that education is free in Namibia? It means that I have to pay the teacher who will mark my scripts while I’m not working.- Basson CK – The examination fee paid by learners covers a small portion of the examination cost.This includes setting of questions papers; printing of question papers; transporting question papers to schools and the answer scripts back from schools; marking of question papers/answer scripts; processing exam results and issuing certificates amongst others.Full-time candidates pay about 40% of the total cost while part-time candidates pay about 60% of the examination fee.The rest is taken care of by the Ministry.Yours in Education – Public Relations OfficeAny such actions should be reported to your school principal immediately.If the school principal is the one committing the misconduct, the matter should be reported to the Regional Education Office.* WHAT are examination fees for, if we are told that education is free in Namibia? It means that I have to pay the teacher who will mark my scripts while I’m not working.- Basson CK – The examination fee paid by learners covers a small portion of the examination cost.This includes setting of questions papers; printing of question papers; transporting question papers to schools and the answer scripts back from schools; marking of question papers/answer scripts; processing exam results and issuing certificates amongst others.Full-time candidates pay about 40% of the total cost while part-time candidates pay about 60% of the examination fee.The rest is taken care of by the Ministry.Yours in Education – Public Relations Office