System ‘creating more street children than professionals’

THE President of the Namibia National Teacher’s Union (Nantu) says the education system is creating more street children than professionals.

Ndapewa Nghipandulwa said at the celebration of World Teachers’ Day at Swakopmund on Tuesday that quality education should not be “lip service” but a reality. She said reform in the education system should have started at the bottom and not at the top.”The bottleneck in grade 10 and 12 is therefore creating more street kids”.Referring to the theme of the day ‘Quality Teachers for Quality Education’, the Nantu President said quality education could only be achieved when Government provided adequate teacher accommodation, correctly implemented the staffing norms agreement and the voluntary transfer of teachers.She called on Government to put a policy in place that provided for free continuous in-service training of all teachers at all levels.”In the absence of in-service training, we cannot talk much about quality education.”Nghipandulwa said a number of world trends were also compromising the quality of education.She said the “influx of volunteers” into schools created problems as many were not properly trained in effective teaching methods.Other trends include the mushrooming of private educational institutions, the proposed shortening of teacher training programmes to one year only, and policies proposed by world bodies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and World Trade Organisation.”Such policies propose that education should be a tradable commodity as opposed to a public service.They encourage governments to minimise their role in education, reduce funding of education programmes and privatise education.”In his address, Risto Kapenda, President of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), called on Government to provide free education from kindergarten to university level.This drew applause from the approximately 300 teachers in the Erongo Region who attended the celebration.”Only the children of the rich can go to the University of Namibia.What kind of society is that,” asked Kapenda.He said if Botswana could provide free education, Namibia could do the same.The NUNW President said Vision 2030 would never be achieved unless society and the education system were dramatically changed.He blamed the decline in respect for teachers on moral decay.”Parents no longer take responsibility for their children.Teachers are confronted with bringing up children, as well as educating them,” he said.She said reform in the education system should have started at the bottom and not at the top.”The bottleneck in grade 10 and 12 is therefore creating more street kids”.Referring to the theme of the day ‘Quality Teachers for Quality Education’, the Nantu President said quality education could only be achieved when Government provided adequate teacher accommodation, correctly implemented the staffing norms agreement and the voluntary transfer of teachers.She called on Government to put a policy in place that provided for free continuous in-service training of all teachers at all levels.”In the absence of in-service training, we cannot talk much about quality education.”Nghipandulwa said a number of world trends were also compromising the quality of education.She said the “influx of volunteers” into schools created problems as many were not properly trained in effective teaching methods.Other trends include the mushrooming of private educational institutions, the proposed shortening of teacher training programmes to one year only, and policies proposed by world bodies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and World Trade Organisation.”Such policies propose that education should be a tradable commodity as opposed to a public service.They encourage governments to minimise their role in education, reduce funding of education programmes and privatise education.”In his address, Risto Kapenda, President of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), called on Government to provide free education from kindergarten to university level.This drew applause from the approximately 300 teachers in the Erongo Region who attended the celebration.”Only the children of the rich can go to the University of Namibia.What kind of society is that,” asked Kapenda.He said if Botswana could provide free education, Namibia could do the same.The NUNW President said Vision 2030 would never be achieved unless society and the education system were dramatically changed.He blamed the decline in respect for teachers on moral decay.”Parents no longer take responsibility for their children.Teachers are confronted with bringing up children, as well as educating them,” he said.