Windhoek
The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) says it is proud of President Hage Geingob over the manner in which he utilised his negotiation skills to bring to an end the teachers’ strike, which would have yielded catastrophic results had it been allowed to proceed beyond last Thursday and Friday when teachers embarked on the countrywide strike.
At the weekend the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) and government struck an agreement on wages and salaries for the current and next financial years, thus putting to rest fears of parents and learners, particularly, who have to sit for the Grade 10 and 12 final exams.
“We are informed that the agreement was reached after the president intervened in the issue,” said SPYL spokesperson Neville Andre.
“The agreement was also made possible due to the maturity displayed by all the stakeholders involved to ensure the Namibian child is afforded an opportunity to go back to school,” he added.
“After the government and union reached an agreement, Nantu called the teachers’ strike off and the minister of education announced the new dates for the examinations that were affected by strike.”
Itope then thanked Geingob for breaking the “deadlock”, adding that many have been aware of the president’s effective and powerful negotiation skills ever since the liberation struggle.
Itope said Geingob also demonstrated his skills when he chaired the Constituent Assembly in 1989. “He has once more rescued the nation from all the challenges that might have been contributed by the teachers strike. The president provided leadership and we are proud of him for showing compassion to those that would have been affected by the strike.”
“We would like to thank Minister of Education Katrina Hanse-Himarwa for her role in ensuring that the affected learners get the opportunity to write their exams.” He continued: “We further [thank] Comrade Hanse-Himarwa for her leadership in ensuring that her ministry abides by the laws of the country and provides government services to all its stakeholders.”
He stressed that the future of many young people depends on this year’s final exams and that education is a key element to the development of our country: “Going forward, we urge all stakeholders in the education sector to forgive each other and to continue working together” for the benefit of the Namibian child.
“Let us have the interest of the Namibian child as the priority above all priorities. In the spirit of Harambee we must unite and build a strong Namibian house and make Namibia a prosperous nation,” Itope wrote.