Eveline de Klerk
Isabel Bento
SWAKOPMUND – Education executive director Sanet Steenkamp has urged regional directors to ensure transparency in procurement and appointments of teachers in their respective regions.
This is because the ministry has been inundated with complaints of unfairness in its recruitment process and a mismatch in advertisement of positions, combination of fields or subjects and qualifications.
She also warned the directors against favouritism and tribalism in recruitment processes.
Steenkamp was speaking at a five-day ministerial workshop that started on Monday in Swakopmund, where regional directors are validating the strategic plan for the next five years.
The workshop is intended to finalise the Ministerial Strategic Plan 2025/26-2029/30 draft and finalise and validate the 2025/26 Ministerial Annual Plan.
She said the ministry has been inundated with complaints of positions being kept for favoured individuals instead of appointed people on merit.
“We must be critical and transformative in our decision-making. Transparency in procurement and appointments is non-negotiable. We cannot allow unjust practices in recruitment that harm others who rightfully deserve these positions. The complaints are too many – something is wrong. Our institutions must reflect the diversity of this country. Everyone deserves an opportunity to grow, be empowered, and receive in-service training,” Steenkamp said.
She added that keeping positions vacant does not only infringe on the rights of those who qualify but also affects pupils as staff are not recruited on time.
Balanced recruitment
Commissioner of the Teaching Service Committee, Habate Doeses, echoed Steenkamp’s sentiments, highlighting the importance of balanced human resource structuring in the ministry.
“The Public Service Commission has a constitutional mandate to ensure only suitably qualified individuals are employed, with due regard to balanced structuring. However, we continue to receive reports of positions being reserved for certain individuals based on ethnicity, regionalism, or tribalism. This is unacceptable and undermines the principles of fairness and meritocracy in public service appointments,” Doeses said.
She added that recruitment processes must align with advertisement requirements to avoid delays in filling crucial positions.
“Many times, we find inconsistencies between job advertisements and supplementary requirements, leading to unnecessary delays. This affects service delivery, leaving schools understaffed and leadership positions vacant. We must complete the recruitment process within the stipulated 12 months,” she stated.
Like Steenkamp, Doeses then addressed the elephant in the room.
“We are inundated with reports of positions being reserved for specific individuals. We must prioritise merit-based recruitment while ensuring balanced structuring,” the commissioner warned.
Doeses further emphasised the need for effective human resources management, particularly regarding leave administration.
“Between June and August 2024 alone, the Public Service Commission processed 570 leave management cases, with 412 from the ministry of education. The government paid N$11.8 million in leave payments, of which N$8.7 million was for education alone.”
Officials were urged to manage leave effectively while ensuring that teaching and learning remain a priority.
The ministry is the largest government department, with over 42 000 staff members.
Efficiency
Furthermore, Steenkamp emphasised deliberate planning, urging education officials to allocate resources, time, and energy effectively.
Steenkamp challenged regional education directors to take accountability for underperformance in their jurisdictions.
“Who failed these children who cannot read and write? It is the education teams. If 85% of our budget goes to salaries, what kind of monitoring and review mechanisms are in place? If the teacher gets it right the first time with the child in Grade 1, we will not have a 17% repetition rate. Execution must be precise and effective,” the career educator said.
She urged officials to focus on monitoring, evaluation, and data-driven decision-making to improve learning outcomes.
Steenkamp, who stressed that conscious decision-making is necessary to ensure realistic and impactful outcomes, further emphasised the importance of strategic planning, execution, and accountability in transforming Namibia’s education sector.
-edeklerk@nepc.com.na