Windhoek
Following uncertainty by some exam markers over their payment, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has announced that the approved fees to be paid to such staff members for setting, moderating and marking national exams for Grade 10 and 12 were received from the Public Service Commission on November 11.
Some markers were up in arms that they had not received their subsistence and travel allowances (S&T) since they started marking exam papers.
Examinations for Grade 10 were written around September 26 to November 2, while Grade 12s started around September 26 and ended on November 11.
The permanent secretary in the education ministry, Sanet Steenkamp, yesterday said the setting, moderation and marking fees for the 2016 national exams were still to be adjusted with the 5 percent salary adjustment which was only concluded after the signing of the agreement between the government negotiating team and the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) in October.
Teachers affiliated to Nantu went on a two-day strike in October over an 8 percent salary increment while government had offered 5 percent.
She said the ministry has introduced contingency measures to ensure that all claims yet to be processed receive urgent attention.
“Regional offices are hereby urged to speed up the processing of claims as soon as they receive them from the directorate of national examinations and assessment. We would like to thank all staff members for their contribution to the smooth moderation and marking of the 2016 national examinations,” she said.
The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture had revealed they needed 1 717 teachers to mark the final Grade 10 exam papers, while for Grade 12 about 812 markers are needed for ordinary level plus another 253 markers for higher level.
This year, about 21 104 Grade 12 full-time learners sat for ordinary level compared to 20 301 candidates who sat for the exams last year.
For the Grade 12 higher level, a total of 14 336 full-time candidates sat for their final exams compared to 13 172 for the same level last year.
Meanwhile, for Grade 12 part-time, a total of 30 016 candidates sat for their final ordinary level examinations compared to 27 531 last year.
Only 407 learners who are part-time qualified for higher level exams this year, compared to 155 who sat for the same period during 2015.
Moreover, 38 277 Grade 10 full-time learners sat for their final exams this year compared to 37 457 who sat for the same period last year. About 11 735 Grade 10 part-time learners sat for exams this year compared to 11 532 last year.