WINDHOEK – The implementation of universal primary education (UPE) has seen the enrolment of children in grades 1 to 7 increase by 3.2 percent.
Early this year the Ministry of Education introduced UPE that was widely commended. As part of the Education for All (EFA) celebrations, Dr David Namwandi, the Minister of Education said the increase in enrolment at primary level has however come with challenges such as a shortage of teachers and classrooms. He assured the nation his ministry would face these challenges head on.
The minister also said the previous 7 percent of children attending school is “disheartening”.
“This is not the kind of world or the kind of life children should be condemned to. We yearn to end illiteracy amongst the Namibian nation. We can achieve this through ensuring that learners are enrolled and remain in school to complete primary education,” stressed the education minister.
By the year 2015, all countries that were signatories to the convention on providing quality-inclusive EFA are to give feedback on strides made towards the realisation of the six EFA goals, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2 and 3, Children Rights to Education and Towards the Elimination of Child Labour by 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Hence, Namwandi noted education has a pivotal role to play in the realisation of all the said conventions. Moreover, he said, it is heartening that goal number 2 to provide free primary education has been impressive as the intake at primary level is now above 90 percent. The only challenge he singled out remains the progression (retention rate).
At the same time, he said, dropping out of school is a widespread phenomenon in Namibia, differing from region to region. He said many learners drop out of school due to different challenges they experience in life and they often have to go through great trouble negotiating their way through to the last grade at primary level.
The Education Management Information System (EMIS) has shown that more than 2 000 children were found on the streets without schooling and some of these children were engaged in child labour to support their younger siblings or families.
It is against this background that Namwandi has encouraged regions to maintain their intakes throughout the year by taking action that strictly tackle the school dropout rate.
“Please ensure that no children of school-going age in your communities, villages, constituencies are at home not attending school. It is a constitutional right of that child to attend school. Primary education is compulsory and all children below the age of 16 should be in school. Our collective efforts will make a difference,” he said.
Story by Albertina Nakale