By Albertina Nakale
WINDHOEK – A ministerial job is not a popularity contest, education minister Dr David Namwandi told New Era yesterday on how he coped with public perception during his first weeks in office as minister following the death of his predecessor, the late Dr Abraham Iyambo.
At the time of his demise Iyambo was a public favourite.
Namwandi, in a wide ranging interview that New Era will publish this week Friday, also spoke of how unpopular decisions attracted public criticism even though such decisions were done for the benefit of the country.
“The expectations of our people have been very high. When you make a decision that is popular to them, they clap hands but when you make a decision that is not popular, then they write you off immediately. We have learnt how to live with these types of attitudes of our people. But the most important thing is that we are here to make decision that will benefit the entire nation and not make decisions that will make us popular and make us look good in the eyes of the public. Therefore we feel in the process of executing our duties, we made a lot of enemies of course, but we made those decisions in the best interest of the nation,” said Namwandi.
Namwandi, who served as the Deputy Minister of Education when Iyambo was the Minister of Education, initiated surprise visits to schools, among other initiatives. Iyambo died in 2012.
“We make decisions that will positively impact on the country’s image. There are times we make decisions that are very much unpopular, but as long as we know they are in the best interest of the country. Abraham was not working in isolation. He was working with me and we were working as a team. Of course he was the Minister of Education, but those decisions were made by the entire team education,” said Namwandi who is number 89 on the Swapo list for its candidates for the National Assembly. He has served as the Minister of Education for 22 months.
Namwandi who will on Wednesday announce the results for Grade 10 and 12 Higher Level full-time and part time candidates for 2013 before they are released on Thursday is hopeful that learners improved this year.
“I want quality symbols. I want A’s,B’s, C’s. Namibians must see whether my children has heeded my call for quality symbols. I will die a happy man if they did very well this year,” he noted.