RUNDU– Following the recent announcement by the government that secondary education would henceforth be free of charge in Namibia, John Muyamba from New Era’s Rundu bureau took to streets of Rundu to hear what the public is saying about this.
Fanuel Kapapero (Deputy Director of Education Kavango west and east): “
As a deputy director of education in the two Kavango regions, I think that was a positive move by our President, as most of our schools in Kavango are mostly in rural areas whereby we have a lot of combined and secondary schools in rural Kavango west and east were most of our parents are some kind of subsistence farmers who don’t earn much to really pay school fees for their children. That is quiet a big relief for many parents and it’s also good for us as schools will be able to fund their own developments as well as books for learners once the government provides money for the schools. We have seen what free primary education has done now primary schools are able to meet the government halfway by using the money from the government to do minor renovations at their schools and buying school stuff that benefits the learners at school. “
“This is a good thing for Namibia, as it will also mean that many will come back to school as now they are welcomed for free, without troubles of school fees that push a lot of our disadvantaged children out of school. It is always reported that parents are being told a lot of bad words when they want to register their children without school fees by various teachers and school principals , though they negotiate to pay with time. That is why some don’t take their kids to school, they have fear of negotiating with schools because of the bad language they encounter when doing so, they feel embarrassed and now they will feel welcomed and happy to send children to school. This is a good move though it will be bad for those government schools that milk parents, with high fees.”
2. Pedro Theresia (16), Grade 8 at Romanus Kamunoko Secondary School in Rundu: “ I’m happy that the President announced the free education as from 2016 because some of our parents don’t have money to pay school fees as well as attend to all other school needs.”
3. Kamonga Augustinus (25), Grade 12 at Romanus Kamunoko Secondary School in Rundu: “ I feel great because people with poor backgrounds will be able to be in school, because some learners have no support and thus stay at home because of not being able to pay education and it’s about time because if what I have heard is true that when Namibia got independence they said there will be free education.”
4. Kleopas Himarwa (25), Teacher at Ncamagoro Combine School outside Rundu: “I think it’s good as parents won’t be stressing to pay school fees come 2016 but the challenge is that parents will be reluctant, and some won’t even buy stationeries, school uniform for their kids as they think everything is free, not even books that can be added to their children’s library for their own reading just to complement the text books they get from school. We have seen that with free primary education but overall it’s a good move, let’s go forward.”