2016-12-06Staff Report 2 Query: At what age should a child start Grade One? Response: In accordance with the Education Act (Act No. 16 of 2001), school attendance is compulsory for every child from the beginning of the year in which the child attains the age of seven years. Please take note that the Education Act (Act No. 16 of 2001) is currently under review. Query: I sat for my matric examination in 2012, but I lost my Grade 12 certificate. Can the Ministry issue me with a duplicate of the original certificate? Response: You can apply for a duplicate certificate. Kindly get an application form at the Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture in your region. (However in Windhoek, you obtain the form from the Directorate of National Examination and Assessment at the head office - not the regional office). Thereafter, pay a fee of N$ 40 for an application for a Grade 10 duplicate certificate and N$50 for a Grade 12 duplicate certificate. After payment, submit your application to the Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture examination centre in your region. The processing of the certificate takes about six weeks (or the specified time given during application process). Query: Education, Arts and Culture minister, pupils are forced to repeat a grade just because of failing maths, despite having passed the other subjects with very good marks. Response: Mathematics is a compulsory subject; this means a learner should pass the subject to be promoted to the next grade. Namibia is aiming to become a knowledge- based economy. In order to achieve this, the Namibian education system needs to improve the quality output of the education and training sector and prioritise subjects that provide a base for developing the most required human resource shortages. All these subjects require mathematics as a pre-requisite subject. Currently, mathematics is compulsory for all learners from Grade 1 to 12. • Ms Johanna Absalom, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, E-mail Address: Johanna.Absalom@moe.gov.na 2016-12-06Staff Report 2
