Praise for teachers

TEACHERS received words of encouragement in the National Council on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day yesterday.

Swapo member Margareth Mensah-Williams, herself a former teacher, thanked educators across the country for their dedication towards the “jewels of our nation”, the children, saying that it was necessary to give credit where it was due. She said although there had been incidents of teachers misusing their positions – by having sex with schoolchildren or meting out corporal punishment – these were but a fraction of the total teachers employed.”Ninety-nine per cent or more are good teachers,” she said.Acknowledging that teachers were receiving meagre salaries, she thanked them for forming part of the “most noble profession”.Classes at Government schools ended at 11h00 yesterday, after the Ministry of Education gave teachers half a day off to celebrate World Teachers’ Day.Two weeks ago, the Namibian National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), along with the Teachers’ Union of Namibia, staged a protest march to demand an increase in salaries and other benefits for teachers.The Ministry of Education has promised to come up with a new salary structure that must be accepted by Nantu before it is approved by Cabinet.She said although there had been incidents of teachers misusing their positions – by having sex with schoolchildren or meting out corporal punishment – these were but a fraction of the total teachers employed.”Ninety-nine per cent or more are good teachers,” she said.Acknowledging that teachers were receiving meagre salaries, she thanked them for forming part of the “most noble profession”.Classes at Government schools ended at 11h00 yesterday, after the Ministry of Education gave teachers half a day off to celebrate World Teachers’ Day.Two weeks ago, the Namibian National Teachers’ Union (Nantu), along with the Teachers’ Union of Namibia, staged a protest march to demand an increase in salaries and other benefits for teachers. The Ministry of Education has promised to come up with a new salary structure that must be accepted by Nantu before it is approved by Cabinet.