Lahja Nashuuta

The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has advised parents and guardians who  intend to do homeschooling for their children to do thorough research on the practice to ensure it ties in with their needs.

The ministry said it is of critical importance that the legitimacy of the parties conducting the homeschooling is verified before children are enrolled under the system.

Homeschooling is an educational approach under which parents or guardians choose to educate their children at home rather than send them to a conventional public or private
school.  

The ministry says the concept is largely misunderstood by both parents and teachers, and the children suffer as a result.

The Basic Education Act of 2020 defines homeschooling  as “parents typically taking on the responsibility of teaching their children, either using a pre-designed curriculum or creating their own educational plan tailored to the child’s needs and interests”. 

The ministry’s director of programmes and quality assurance, Ayesha Wentworth, maintained that although the system is legal in Namibia, it demands strict adherence from the interested parties as per the Basic Education Act of 2020.

Wentworth explained that Section 87 of the Act obliges parents to apply to the Education Ministry for homeschool registration and get approval.

According to the director, a certain standard must be met and other factors that must be considered by the prospective homeschoolers before approval is given.

“A situation relating to health or disability exists that prevents the learner from attending or fully benefiting from the regular school attendance and that the registration is in the best interest of the pupils,” she said.

The requirement, among others, entails educational qualifications of the person(s) doing the teaching under the programme.

The instructors are however required to have the minimum qualifications equivalent to teachers of the same subjects under normal school systems. 

Wentworth said the  Ministry of Education  is currently in consultation with the Homeschool Association of Namibia (HSAN), to assist them change its modus operandi to confine to that of ‘homeschools’ as defined by the Basic Education Act. 

Wentworth said the current setup is that of the normal classroom where children gather at one centre for lessons.

“Homeschooling is misunderstood in Namibia because teachers are not supposed to gather children in one place, whether at home or certain centres. The moment you bring in children from the neighbourhood, that constitutes a classroom and according to the Act, it should be registered as a private school,” she said.

The Home Schooling Association of Namibia (HSAN) is one of the leading home schoolers proponents in the country.

The ministry however says such institution must first be registred with the ministry in order to ensure all boxes are ticked.

HSAN centre owner Marita Odendaal, confirmed that the institution is not yet registered with the Ministry of Education, however, she said once approved, the institution will represent the interests of homeschooling families in Namibia, in terms of providing support, resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities within the homeschooling community. 

“The institution also intends to offer guidance on legal requirements, curriculum options, and educational initiatives related to homeschooling in Namibia,” Odendaal.

She said currently there are 96 homeschools and tutor centres registered with HSAN.

“The registration status of HSAN can vary, and it would be best to directly inquire with HSAN or relevant government authorities for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding their registration status and any requirements they may need to meet,” she explained.

Wentworth noted that for quality assurance purposes, children who are taking the home education programme will have to be tested at intervals to ensure they are on the right path. Also, the programme could be terminated at the discretion of the director for children who are found to be below the standard of their peers in regular schools.

“This, in line with the Act, confers the authority to designate monitoring and evaluation to the minister of education, allowing this office to withdraw registration if the minimum requirements are not met,” Wentworth said.

She maintained that the regulations in place are in the best interest of the nation’s children, to ensure that they receive educational instruction similar to what would be given in the classroom.

 “The law is set up in such a way to ensure that anybody who says they’re going to educate a child at home, do it. We must protect our children; people can’t just come up and say they’re going to homeschool children and you just have the children at home running around the house,” she said.

According to Wentworth parents whose children are residing in remote areas, as well as ambassadors and diplomats who travel frequently qualify to apply.

Ondendaal is adamant that every child is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. As such, homeschools allow parents to tailor their teaching methods, curriculum, and activities to suit their child’s individual strengths, interests and learning preferences.

New Era spoke to some parents who opted to homeschool their children and most of them highlighted the health-related issues that tend to characterise traditional school environments as their motivating factors. 

That is in addition to the growing dissatisfaction with the level of teaching in schools and a lack of faith in the ability of the educational system to impart values and meaningful content to their children.  

Anel Zabel is a mother of three who opted to homeschool all her children aged 19, 8, and 3 because of what she terms as ‘national curriculum dissatisfaction’.  

“We are looking for qualifications that are accepted by top universities worldwide. Your child needs to have an education at the same standard or higher than the government curriculum. You need to prove that your child does learn either through formal or through a portfolio of learning,” she said 

On the other hand, Mandy Puleston, a mother of a 12-year-old, opted for homeschooling because of her child’s special needs. 

“He is living with Asperger’s Syndrome. Because of his condition, he had been mocked in public schools,” she said.

Another parent who chose to be anonymous revealed that her child has a neurodiverse condition. 

“She is autistic and has learning difficulties in Mathematics, reading and comprehension. She also struggled to regulate in a mainstream classroom with auditory and visual overstimulation. Hence, we decided to go for homeschooling,” the parent said.

Ondendaal urged parents whose children are struggling in a formal school setting or have learning disabilities to try homeschooling.

“Homeschooling can be a rewarding educational option for families seeking more flexibility, individualized instruction, and closer involvement in their children’s learning journey. However, it also requires dedication, time, and resources, as well as a supportive community and access to educational materials and resources,” she said, further urging parents to carefully weigh the pros and cons and consider their children’s unique needs and learning styles when deciding to go for homeschooling. 

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