Omusati region education director Paulus Kashimbi has ordered teachers in the region to cease all income-generating activities outside of their full-time job with immediate effect.
Kashimbi says the education directorate in the region has noted with concern an increasing number of staff members engaging in private business ventures outside of their jobs without authorisation.
His directive has been met with resistance from some teachers who argue that the directive does not take into account that their salaries often go to pay off their loans.
Two weeks ago the government announced that Namibian civil servants, including teachers, will receive a 5% salary increase for the 2026/27 financial year, effective 1 April, benefiting about 119 000 employees.
Kashimbi said the directorate will conduct targeted audits, and that any staff member found to be in breach of these regulations after the issuance of this notice will be dealt with in accordance with Section 26 of the Public Service Act.
Kashimbi issued the notice to all the schools in the region last week.
“While the directorate encourages individual initiative and innovation, all staff members are reminded that your primary contractual and ethical obligation is to the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture,” he said.
Kashimbi said that in accordance with the Public Service Act and the Basic Education Act, no staff member is permitted to perform remunerative work outside their official duties unless they have applied for, and received, written approval from the executive director.
He said unauthorised businesses outside of work lead to a conflict of commitment, and the negative effects are becoming evident in the workplace as staff members are often fatigued, poorly prepared and lack focus.
“Engaging in private tuition, consultancy, or operating a business during or after working hours/school hours without this specific clearance is a direct violation of the Public Service Code of Conduct,” he said.
He urged staff members involved in any form of outside remunerative work to submit a formal application through the proper channels (supervisor to director) if they wish to seek authorisation for the next financial year.
Many teachers are against the directive, stating that the education ministry’s recent focus on restricting teachers from running side businesses is destroying their last hope.
National Teachers Union secretary general Loide Shaanika yesterday told The Namibian that although she is not aware of the directive requiring teachers to declare their businesses, the government should not impose such a directive on teachers.
“The act that stipulates that teachers should declare their businesses is clear, but when such a directive is imposed, people need time to comply,” she said.
A teacher who responded anonymously to the directive says: “Teachers aren’t the only ones who get tired, in fact, it’s often the school directors pushing this rule who have multiple businesses themselves.”
A Windhoek-based teacher, also speaking on condition of anonymity, says he owns several businesses, although he chose not to name one in particular.
He says this does not keep him from performing his duties as an educator so directing teachers not to have businesses does not make sense.
“If teachers were paid enough to properly support themselves, they wouldn’t need side hustles, it’s really unfair to impose this rule,” the teacher says.
He says if this is a new directive, it should apply to all civil servants.
“Teachers are not the only ones who get tired or distracted (by other businesses).”
A teacher in the region, who prefers to remain anonymous, says teachers are treated as servants by the system and often disrespected by pupils.
“Many of us are trapped in a cycle of cash loans and bank debts.
Our paychecks are often ‘dead on arrival’, leaving us unable to buy food or pay for our family’s housing.
A side business, like a small shop or tutoring, is not a luxury, they are effectively telling us that our family’s survival doesn’t matter,” she says.
She says a financially burdened teacher cannot be an effective educator.
“We are told our side hustles interfere with our work, but I argue the opposite: The stress of poverty is the biggest distraction in the Namibian classroom.
“We did not ask to be born into poor homesteads, and we should not be punished for having the initiative to lift ourselves out of it.
If we are forced to choose between a job that doesn’t pay a living wage and a business that feeds our family, many of us will have no choice but to resign,” she says.
Trade Union Congress of Namibia secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha says it is an old rule that applies to all public
servants.
He says everyone employed under the public service sector engaging in side hustles is expected to sign the approval form from the executive director to avoid conflicts of interest and other factors.
“No one is targeting teachers, it applies to all the public servants.
If teachers are complaining, maybe they were not properly informed.
The director must educate teachers in a proper manner and avoid harsh warnings and threatening teachers,” he says.
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