Tuulikki Abraham
Lüderitz-The Grade 10 Junior Secondary School Certificate (JSC) examination results for 2017 are a cause for introspection, the regional councillor for !Nami#nus Constituency and chairperson of //Kharas Regional Council, Jan Scholtz, said.
//Kharas Region improved with two places and moved from 13th position to 11th position in 2017. Yet according to the //Kharas regional director of education, arts and culture, Johannes ||Hoeseb, the performance of the learners during 2017 in the junior primary phase – pre-primary grade to Grade 3 – and the upper primary phase – grades 4 to 7 – as well as the junior secondary phase – grades 8 to 9 – was also not satisfactory in many of the schools in //Kharas.
“Right now, the blame game will take centre stage in the matter, everyone trying to cover their behinds, pushing responsibility from one party to the next. This shouldn’t be the case, this should be a rallying cry, a call to all educators, principals being at the fore, to galvanise their efforts to improve the rate of passing in our region. We have the capacity in this room and outside to take //Kharas Region to the fore of the nation,” said Scholtz.
Scholtz and ||Hoeseb were addressing the sixth annual //Kharas Region principals’ meeting held in the German Hall in Lüderitz. The two-day meeting ends today, January 5.
||Hoeseb reminded principals that as public servants they were duty-bound to give value for public money through commitment to the teaching profession.
During the annual meeting the educators and principals do presentations on analysed results reflecting the performance of learners from pre- primary grade up to Grade 12.
They also review the intervention strategies that were set for implementation during the preceding academic year, challenges experienced and evaluation of the impact thereof.
Further, the meeting was expected to craft intervention strategies for improved academic performance, and do professional development presentations on guidelines policies, regulations and laws on public service management and administration.
In his address, ||Hoeseb stated that when releasing learners for cultural performances and traditional dances at events aimed at welcoming dignitaries to the region, during schools hours, valuable teaching and learning time is lost in the process.
He said there is a need for the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to establish a regulating policy framework within which consideration for such requests for the release of learners during school hours, for cultural performances and traditional dances, and for inspirational and motivational talks by stakeholders with staff members and learners alike, can be done.