SWAKOPMUND – The Director of Education in the Erongo Region John Awaseb says the importance of teaching African languages in schools cannot be overemphasised.
Awaseb made the remark in Swakopmund recently when he addressed school principals and heads of departments (HoDs) in the region to map the way forward following the poor performance of the region during last year’s Grade 10 year end examinations.
He said there are principals and HoDs, specifically in Swakopmund who are derailing the efforts of the education directorate aimed at introducing and sustaining African languages in secondary schools. He says learners are being discourages to take up their mother tongue at some Swakopmund schools, while other schools simply ignore the introduction of African languages at secondary schools by re-assigning teachers who are appointed to teach African languages to teaching other subjects instead. “If principals do not stop their attitude toward African languages, which play a vital part in every child’s education, we will have no choice, but to take unilateral decisions by implementing such language instruction and controlling such schools directly from the regional office,” Awaseb cautioned the principals. He also stressed that instruction in African languages provide children with a sense of belonging and pride with regard to their cultural heritage.
Awaseb also urged schools to refrain from keeping school stationery locked up in storerooms.
Many primary schools still provide lists of stationary to parents, despite numerous requests from the ministry to refrain from doing so, he said. “This is illegal. We provided all primary schools with upper primary education grants and also bought stationery for them,” he said. “If stationery is not enough for them they can use these funds to buy additional stationary. Many of our storerooms are fully packed with stationery, while it should be distributed. I am sending the staff and inspectors to take stock of stationary stored at schools so that we can deal with such schools,” he stressed.
By Eveline de Klerk