When neighbouring Zimbabwe gained its independence from colonial rule in April 1980, the majority of her people lacked the opportunities and facilities for quality secondary schooling, most only finishing several years of primary schooling.
Over the first 25 years of independence, Zimbabwe’s population of over 13 million witnessed incredible strides in school expansion, teacher training and resource improvement. As a result, Zimbabwe continues to boast the highest literacy rate in sub-saharan Africa and sends the fourth largest number of students from Africa to the United States.
Over the years Namibia has pumped billions of dollars into education. However, the results – especially in terms of grade 10 and 12 pass rates – have not satisfactorily reflected the amount of investment made.
Successive education ministers have been scapegoats for the poor grade 10 and 12 results, but perhaps we have been barking up the wrong tree.
It cannot be mere coincidence that all education ministers – one after the other – have not been able to turn around the fortunes in that ministry.
It could therefore be that the system, and not the personnel and political heads, is to blame for consecutive lacklustre performances of our learners in grades 10 and 12.
Apart from throwing more money at the problem of perpetual failure by students, our country has held numerous education conferences but, evidently, only slight improvements are noted every year.
For example, 16 000 pupils (46 percent) who sat for the Grade 10 exams last year have failed. That percentage is, by any stretch of the imagination, astronomic. Grade 12 results announced this week also show that more than 40 percent of learners failed to meet university admission requirements.
Put together, that is thousands of people facing prospects of ending up hungry or living on the streets, begging for money. We put complete faith in education as the way and route towards survival, but we have to make things work.
With this alarming failure rate, the effects are increasingly being felt by corporate companies which are unable to find the personnel they need to ensure continued growth of both their portfolios and the country’s economy in general.
Namibian companies have indicated time and again that they were experiencing a skills crisis and many of these show considerable reliance on external expertise. Yet when too many foreigners are employed ahead of Namibians, the country moans loud.
The fact of the matter is that there isn’t time to waste – or to point fingers. What matters is that Namibia is not performing as well as her global and regional peers when it comes to grades 10 and 12 and something has to be done.
The frailties of our education system are claiming too many casualties and this cannot continue unabated. Admittedly, our education system is overwhelmed with challenges, many of which are entrenched in the dark history of our past.
However, after 25 years of independence we should be at the level where we can withstand the brutal effects of colonialism. A quarter of a century is enough period to develop the wherewithal in the face of obvious challenges left by racist discrimination which left the black communities with little, if any, capacity to educate themselves.
But these are our children and we must do everything we can to secure their future by equipping them with good education and skills demanded by today’s unforgiving job market.
Government has demonstrated its willingness to resolve the situation, but perhaps we must shift the focus from not only funding, but also reforming key aspects of our education system. Reform seems to be the most viable route at this stage.