By Wezi Tjaronda
WINDHOEK
A member of the civil society has called on the Government to consider introducing compulsory national youth service to shape and discipline youths when they leave school.
Speaking at the commemoration of the International Day Against Corruption yesterday, Veronica de Klerk, Executive Director for Women’s Action for Development, said compulsory national service would instil discipline among the youth while equipping them with skills and employment.
“It will further shape them for a more disciplined career in future. Instead of engaging in alcohol, drug abuse, loitering, frequenting shebeens, engaging in violence and rape, crime, corruption or contacting HIV/Aids,” she said.
De Klerk said the call was prompted by thousands of young people who leave school every year and sit around because they cannot find employment.
The service is already operational on a voluntary basis.
She, however, proposed that Namibia familiarises itself with the benefits of compulsory national youth service in countries where it has been implemented such as Germany, the United States and Russia.
She said while compulsory youth service would have major cost implications for the country, it was worthwhile to weigh the cost of crime and corruption against the cost of the compulsory service as it would have long-term benefits.
De Klerk warned that as long as corruption continued unabated, the country’s Vision 2030 would not succeed.
She said social decay should be addressed from the cradle of the new generation at home, school, church, youth movements and sports clubs, which are often in contact with young people.
Young people provide fertile ground for formative influences, she said, stressing that strengthening of core values should be a continuous process preached and practised as a way of life.
Unfortunately, De Klerk noted, potentially corrupt citizens were created at home because often children are left to their own devices with parents not taking time to listen to their children, give them love, compassion and understanding.
Children who are brought up in such homes often lack a clear impression of the norms and values that are benchmarks for an individual and for the smooth functioning of a society, she added.
De Klerk called on parents to raise their children with honesty as a guiding principle in their lives. At the same time, schools, which are an extension of the education process of the home, should promote good values of honesty in children.
“All parents are called upon today to assertively join this national drive to combat corruption by sensitising their children to respect norms and values that would give birth to a future civilisation that would spurn corruption,” she said.