RUNDU – The Kavango East Regional Council is calling upon education authorities to transform the University of Namibia in the region to also train teachers for secondary education and establish an agriculture training facility.
“The current arrangements are not favourable to our region that Unam Rundu campus cannot offer courses for secondary education – but year in year out, the region produces tangible results who qualify to tertiary institutions,” said the chairperson of the Kavango East Regional Council, Damian Maghambayi, who took advantage of the opportunity to engage the education sector of the region’s crucial demands.
Maghambayi was speaking during the official opening of the regional consultation meeting in preparation for the Transforming Education Summit and 2022 national education conference in Rundu yesterday.
Maghambayi stated the region cannot only be an employment hub for other regions at the expense of disadvantaged youths and graduates in the region.
“As we prepare for the summit, it is equally important to note that Kavango East is practically an agriculture region hence a call to establish an agriculture training institute in the region, which is imperative. In the past, Mashare agriculture institute was instrumental for training – and with no valid reason, it is now underutilised,’’ he said.
The ministry of education is conducting regional consultations to gain input as well as momentum for the upcoming national conference on the education and transforming education summit, slated for later this year.
The Transforming Education Summit (TES) is based on five thematic action tracks, which were taken into consideration during this regional consultation process, namely: inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools, learning and skills for life, work and sustainable development, digital learning and transformation, teachers, teaching and the teaching profession as well as the financing of education.
“These action tracks aim to place a spotlight on areas that require greater attention and action, and which can accelerate progress on education and the Vision 2030 agenda and transform education,’’ said deputy education minister Faustina Caley, embarking upon this national consultative process to ensure all the constituencies have a voice in compiling the final report.
Caley noted the changes that the action tracks seek to promote should embrace the immediate needs to be tackled.
“I am indeed optimistic that this consultation process will result in our country compiling a national statement of commitment, which will outline key actions for the transformation of education,’’ she said.
“Our purpose in facilitating the regional consultations is aligned to the pre-summit objective to harness evolving discussions on transforming education, elaborate initial content for the summit and generate momentum in the lead up to the September Summit,’’ she stated.
The deputy minister stated the process leading up to the September Summit in New York provides an opportunity for Namibia to put education at the centre of the national and political debate. “These consultations will provide valuable inputs to the planned 2022 National Conference on Education, of which I will elaborate further in my remarks,’’ she said.