EENHANA – The Director of Education in the Ohangwena Region, Sanet Steenkamp, says the 2013 full-time Grade 10 and 12 results have improved significantly with improvements in all grades since the inception of the Ohangwena Regional Improvement Strategy (ORIS) two years ago. Speaking recently at a stakeholder’s assessment meeting Steenkamp the number of learners qualifying for admission to Grade 11 and those who qualify for university admission increased from 150 to 200 this year alone. However, says much still needs to be done. “Since we launched our Ohangwena Regional Improvement Strategy which is taking part in our New Dawn Project, we are working at being supportive, not at fault finding. Nevertheless, the time has come to take our region out of the 47 percent pass rate for Grade 10 and more in order to break into the circle of a realistic 55–60 percent pass rate, if not more. With a 10 percent improvement over the past two years, I want the Ohangwena Region education stakeholders gathered here today to join us in celebrating the 57.1 percent pass rate in Grade 10 in 2013,” she said to thundering applause.
The minimum requirement of 25 points has been maintained since 2012, but ideally it should exceed 30 points to match the achievements of other regions, she said. The Ohangwena Regional Education Directorate had 120 centres that offered the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) in 2013 and 5028 candidates who sat for the examination compared to 5297 candidates in 2012, while 2872 candidates were promoted to Grade 11 which is 57.1 percent compared to 2550 in 2012, which was only 48.1 percent. The centres that performed above 70 percent are 35 compared to 15 centres in 2012. Moreover, 73 centres performed above 50 percent compared to 47 centres in 2012. Apart from that 7 circuits scored above 50 percent compared to 3 circuits in 2012 and again 7 centres sat for the Grade 10 examination for the first time in 2013. Although performance has improved slightly with three circuits performing above 60 percent, most schools in fact improved, Steenkamp said. “The region is also proud to announce that we also accomplished a considerable improvement in quality symbols A to D specifically in subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Science, History, Entrepreneurship and Life Science. Add to this a national ranking of fourth place and you will agree with me that we have a lot be grateful for,” she said.
The Ohangwena Region has moved one place up to the fourth position in the Grade 10 examination results, while the Omusati Region was in third position after dropping one place from position two last year. The regional education director said special recognition should be given to the region’s inspectors, principals, teachers and learners who defied all odds by performing exceptionally well, despite social evils such as drugs abuse in schools and drought in most of the northern regions. Out of 2582 Grade 12 learners in the region who sat for NSSC examination only 200 candidates qualified for university admission by obtaining A to D symbols and better symbols. Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School remains and maintains its position both in Grade 10 and 12 in the Eenhana Circuit followed by Mwadikange and Ongha and Ponhofi senior secondary schools all located in the Ondobe Circuit.
Also attending the meeting was the Ohangwena Regional Governor, Usko Nghaamwa, who said while the region has improved, there is still room for further improvements given the fact that ORIS is a project that requires a radical approach to educational achievement and implementation. ORIS aims to improve school leadership and management and introduces performance dialogues to improve accountability and capability and also to improve curriculum delivery and learner’s reading skills among others. “You should keep up the good work until our region takes up the first position. Oshikoto region has been doing it for the past six years and Ohangwena has been improving every year. Therefore you can reach position number one if we continue to unite and to work as a team,” said Nghaamwa. He also took a swipe at school principals and teachers who are involved in politics rather than to concentrate on their schoolwork. “I want to stress that l will never tolerate politics in schools as it is bound to divide people and destroy the work ethic in schools and thereby affect our learners’ performance. Please, l am requesting all education officials, school principals, teachers, learners, cleaners and all staff at any school here in the region to leave politics to politicians,” he advised.
By Clemence Tashaya