Tendee Ritjaeree Kandando gained enthusiasm for inclusive education from lecturers like Pamela February and Karii Haihambo Ya Otto during her honours’ programme at university,
Kandando (32)’s research delves into inclusive education by analysing policies designed to foster supportive learning environments for students with disabilities.
“Nobody pays attention to learners or community members with intellectual impairments.
When I attended university for my honours degree in education, I encountered modules and classrooms which addressed these needs, meeting lecturers with a positive view of persons with disabilities,” shared the enthusiastic educator, now teaching Geography and History at her former school, Hage Geingob Secondary School in Windhoek.
The influences of Ya Otto and February’s teachings on students with disabilities have left a significant mark on Kandando’s perspective on civil service.
“We have community members with disabilities or intellectual impairments, and these brothers and sisters often face discrimination, sometimes tied to witchcraft beliefs.
Meanwhile, they miss out on opportunities because of this stigma, which is both unfair and unacceptable,” she expressed.
She strongly advocates for recognising diversity in classrooms and throughout Namibia, emphasising the importance of accommodating individuals with disabilities and students with various learning needs.
“The core principles of inclusive education align with our country’s constitutional values, and I believe our education system should reflect this inclusivity,” she added.
Namibia’s Inclusive Education Policy aims to foster a supportive, learner-centred environment. The policy instructs the education sector to adopt flexible, holistic budgeting and planning approaches, alongside purposeful monitoring and evaluation.
It creates opportunities for all children in Namibia to engage fully in education, especially within what are termed “mainstream schools.”
Kandando is a strong supporter of this policy, noting that a significant barrier to implementing inclusive education is the lack of resources, and some educators’ perception that learners with intellectual impairments aren’t fit for traditional classrooms, often dismissing them as “mad.”
“It’s disheartening because just because someone has an impairment doesn’t mean they can’t learn in a classroom.
They need love and validation; they should be celebrated,” she pointed out.
Regarding resources, she has made strides by purchasing a projector and advocating for learning support classes through offering technical and vocational training, allowing struggling students to receive aid in alternative formats.
“Another concern is the teacher-to-learner ratio in our classrooms, which is not ideal.
The numbers are so high that providing individual attention becomes difficult,” stated the educator, who manages around 40 learners in each class.
Kandando believes it’s crucial as a civil servant to see herself as a problem-solver, but acknowledges that meaningful change can’t occur in isolation, which is why she bought the projector to facilitate more engaging lessons for her pupils.
“Considering the statistics on marginalised communities, the number of graduates and teenage mothers who complete school and progress to university is alarmingly low.
However, this demonstrates that inclusive education can yield positive systemic impacts, and must be understood with greater empathy towards learners with disabilities,” she observed.
She insists that perceptions of individuals with disabilities must be revised, as life is unpredictable.
“For those of us with fully-functioning bodies who grasp our surroundings, if calamity strikes, causing loss of limbs, sight or mobility, we must strive to foster inclusivity.
If such circumstances arise, we should still be able to operate normally, as society is too unforgiving towards those with disabilities.
No one wishes to exist in that environment. Thus, it’s our collective responsibility to cultivate that safe space, starting now. It begins with education,” she added passionately.
-psiririka@nepc.com.na