Namibia: Improving the Education System - AllAfrica.com

Nathaniel K. MbaevaWindhoek

The constitutional duty of the authorities through the Ministry of Education is to supply free and mandatory instruction up to the age of 16 (Article 20 (3)).

In pattern the authorities supplies free and mandatory instruction up to Class 10 level. Although instruction is presumed to be free throughout the school system, costs are however indirectly recovered through school fees which differ from state school to state school.

Presently authorities supplies free instruction to the followers groupings of scholars who make not fall within the bounds of this duty to give drift to Article 20 (1) of the fundamental law which says that "all people shall have got the right to education":

- Those who turned 16 while in primary schools and transferred to junior secondary schools.

- Those in classes 11 and twelve.

To fulfil this duty authorities do immense investings while the end product thereof is dismal.

Societal compulsion with a pure academic Class 12 certificate

Since the colonial era, society attaches great value to a pure academic Class 12 certification although this certification makes not authorise the holder thereof with the necessary accomplishments to for illustration come in the occupation market. Any effort to reform our system of instruction should in my sentiment first demystify this perception. Prospective employers including the authorities should not utilize a pure academic Class 12 as the basic makings for employment intents but rather set accent on accomplishments and attributes.

Anyway, Class 12 is only used for initial showing of appliers by employers. Nowadays, some employers even utilize Class 12 to test appliers for places such as as cleaners.

In the meantime, employers pass a batch of money on in-service training. Societal compulsion with a pure academic Class 12 certification is in my sentiment the major conducive factor to the mass of unskilled young person that our school system produces.

Quality Primary Education

Government focusing should be on primary education. If the foundation is solid the opportunities that future acquisition and preparation will be effectual is good. The accent should be on the attainment of literacy and numerical skills.

It is of import at this phase to prove and monitoring device learners' aptitudes and attributes. This volition enable schools to mention scholars with artistic abilities to the college of the arts, scholars with technical properties to technical preparation centres, scholars with exceeding academic abilities to high schools, etc.

The present seven old age of primary instruction is in my sentiment inadequate and should be extended to nine old age followed by three old age of secondary instruction or preparation in a specific trade depending on the learner's aptitude, property and public presentation in primary school.

The awful film editing point at Class 10 [JSC] must be abolished. School inspectors and subject advisors should supervise the public presentation of schools especially those in the distant rural countries and those in poorness stricken countries closely to guarantee that all schools are at the same degree in footing of quality.

Government should do it a point to construct more than primary schools. No cost recovery whether directly or indirectly should be permitted at this phase of schooling. Education at this phase should be free and mandatory in the existent sense of the word.

Repetition at this phase should be allowed up to the age of 18 upon which scholars volition be referred toe Community Skills Development Centres (Cosdecs) for preparation in specific accomplishments that will do them employable.

Learners who successfully complete primary school will have a certificate, the Primary School Certificate, indicating whether the scholar is capable of academic preparation or preparation in a specific trade.

Secondary

Secondary instruction should be divided into two: trade schools and academic schools and should be three old age leading to a secondary school trade certification or an academic secondary school certificate.

Relevant Links

Depending on his or her public presentation at primary school a scholar will either travel to a trade school or an academic school. There will be some word form of cost recovery for secondary education.

Trade Schools

Some of the existent secondary schools will go trade schools offering a assortment of courses. The private sector should step in to guarantee that the courses of study offered are in line with their expectations.

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