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: I read an article in the paper two weeks ago that the minimum qualification for a secondary school teacher is a four-year degree and a three-year diploma for primary teachers.

In colleges we major in different subjects for secondary level grade 8-10 subjects for three years with our minors for upper primary 5-7 in different subjects. My question is why then do colleges offer secondary level, which does not qualify us to teach.Student graduates from the Colleges of Education doing Majors in Junior Secondary School Subjects (Grade 8-10) are eligible to teach these grades in their areas of specialisation.Advisory teachers who mark external examinations after years of being divorced from teaching a particular subject are failing learners…They fail to organise any workshops for the teachers.Advisory teachers are appointed to give guidance to teachers in their respective subjects and how best to teach the subject in a way that learners will be able to understand better.This is done through visits to schools, observations, and workshops.It would have helped if you had been more specific in order for us to give you a clear and proper answer.Why did the Ministry of Education decided to introduce the revised curriculum for Life Science without the prescribed textbooks for the curriculum…We want prescribed textbooks with the introduction of the curriculum.When learners fail in school, the problem is the teachers, not teaching.It is true that sometimes the curriculum is developed while textbooks are being printed.However, teachers make use of the new teaching guides and materials to teach, while books are being printed.What is important is that learners have a teacher who acts a mediator between the textbook and the learner.Imagine a person right from a college (education) having to wait for four to six months without pay, especially in the remote areas … The Ministry should try to speed up the payments of salaries for new teachers if they expect good performance from teachers.There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever with regard to the late payment of teacher salaries.No one would want to receive his salary four to six months late.The Ministry is working hard to solve this problem and I am also happy to inform you that we have made considerable progress in this regard.Yours in Education Public Relations OfficeMy question is why then do colleges offer secondary level, which does not qualify us to teach.Student graduates from the Colleges of Education doing Majors in Junior Secondary School Subjects (Grade 8-10) are eligible to teach these grades in their areas of specialisation. Advisory teachers who mark external examinations after years of being divorced from teaching a particular subject are failing learners…They fail to organise any workshops for the teachers.Advisory teachers are appointed to give guidance to teachers in their respective subjects and how best to teach the subject in a way that learners will be able to understand better.This is done through visits to schools, observations, and workshops.It would have helped if you had been more specific in order for us to give you a clear and proper answer.Why did the Ministry of Education decided to introduce the revised curriculum for Life Science without the prescribed textbooks for the curriculum…We want prescribed textbooks with the introduction of the curriculum.When learners fail in school, the problem is the teachers, not teaching.It is true that sometimes the curriculum is developed while textbooks are being printed.However, teachers make use of the new teaching guides and materials to teach, while books are being printed.What is important is that learners have a teacher who acts a mediator between the textbook and the learner. Imagine a person right from a college (education) having to wait for four to six months without pay, especially in the remote areas … The Ministry should try to speed up the payments of salaries for new teachers if they expect good performance from teachers.There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever with regard to the late payment of teacher salaries.No one would want to receive his salary four to six months late.The Ministry is working hard to solve this problem and I am also happy to inform you that we have made considerable progress in this regard. Yours in Education Public Relations Office