Ngandu Hisckia 

Teaching is the only profession that spent a lot of time with learners. The teacher and learner intimate relationship is teacher misconduct, according to the education policy. I am not against that but the problem with that policy is that it only applies to the teaching profession, not other professions, which is not fair as the effect of having a relationship with a female learner is the same. 

If we look at the statistics, many learners are in relationships with nurses, police officers and other professionals. Some of these learners are victims of being mistreated in those relationships and go to school with stress, moody and they start to misbehave. 

Teachers take responsibility to counsel them and guide them despite them being restricted from having an affair with learners. I’m not saying that the government should change that policy, but I suggest that the government should make the policy applicable to all professions. The majority of female learners who are school dropouts are the victims of being impregnated by workers from other professions. Not only teachers should be protected, but all professions should also be restricted. By doing this, we are saving our female learners and keeping them in school. 

To all professions, we should refrain from engaging in relationships with female learners, because the relationships we are putting them in are costing them their future. We should help them with their studies and better their future instead of taking them as wives while they are still at school. It’s sad seeing a learner pregnant or dropping out simply because she wants to get married to a certain worker to better her life as they say. Our government should look into this issue. 

The effect is the same whether a learner is in a relationship with a teacher or any other professional. We should all be restricted from dating or marrying learners while they are still in school. Be professional and help a Namibian learner have a bright future.

* Ngandu Hisckia is a Bachelor of Education graduate from the University of Namibia