School pupils’ dresses are like underwear – Nekundi

Swapo lawmaker and deputy minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi says some schoolgirls’ dresses are “like underwear”.

Nekundi made these remarks in the National Assembly this week, while giving his contribution on a motion tabled by Popular Democratic Movement lawmaker Hidipo Hamata on the government making adequate resources available for public schools to excel like private schools.

Nekundi blasted pupils for dressing indecently and lacking discipline, especially in public schools, resulting in poor performance.

He also blamed parents for not taking their children’s education seriously.

Nekundi yesterday asked how many parents are familiar with their children’s handwriting, subjects, test scores, teachers’ comments and summaries.“This is one thing that contributes to poor performance.

Another thing is indiscipline in pupils.

A teacher can’t do anything, because when they want to discipline [pupils], the parents come to school with a knife,” Nekundi said. “At private schools if you are told the length of your hair and skirt . . . you obey, and if you don’t want to, you are out.

At public schools what is happening, a child is wearing a see-through skirt and shirt.

The dress is like underwear,” Nekundi said.

He added that when school principals suspend children, their parents stage demonstrations.Children should be told their rights are limited and that they have an obligation to study and respect their teachers, he said.

“We must avoid telling children that discipline is two-way traffic. If you tell a child their rights are equal to that of their parents, it is dangerous, and that is where we are heading as a country,” Nekundi said.