2014-10-31Mathias Haufiku "WINDHOEK - Namibia has a combined shortage of 18 686 teachers, nurses and police officers – a situation that is threatening the functionality of the country’s education, security and health sectors. Figures provided by officials from the three sectors show that the current staff shortage in the police force stands at 7 886; and 4 800 nurses and about 6 000 teachers. Police Chief Lieutenant General Sebastian Ndeitunga, Minister of Education Dr David Namwandi and Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Health and Social Services Esther Paulus all confirmed the personnel shortages in the three sectors. The health, security and education sectors have been topping government’s priority list since independence with billions of dollars being pumped into them over the years. Some schools still have a teacher to learner ratio of 1:50, while some police stations and hospitals are critically understaffed, leaving service seekers in a quandary. Although government has over the years worked tirelessly to remedy the situation, officials from all three sectors say the lack of financial resources is the contributing factor to this predicament. Due to the perceived low salaries paid to teachers, nurses and police officers, many have ventured into the private sector in search of better wages. Currently, only 14 264 of the 22 161 positions in NamPol are filled. The current health structure makes provision for a combined 4 848 enrolled and registered nurses, but twice this number will be required for the new approved structure. Minister of Education Dr David Namwandi says the country has about 24 000 teachers at the moment, but indicated that with the current learner population in mind, the ideal number of teachers required is about 30 000. The health ministry’s Paulus attributed the nurse shortage to population growth, staff poaching and the fact that most Namibians cannot afford private healthcare so they flock to public health facilities where they by far outnumber the available personnel resources. Despite frequent recruitment drives, NamPol say the shortage of police officers remains critical. Head of NamPol’s Human Resources Directorate, Commissioner Abed Kashihakumwa said the staff turnover within the force stands at an average of 500 officers per year. In a move to bolster numbers in the force as well as provide jobs to ex-combatants, government gave NamPol the green light to recruit 8 000 ex-combatants between 1996 and 2001. With the enrolment age to join NamPol benched at 18-25, the force’s recruitment authorities have in recent years been forced to enrol people above 25 in order to ease the situation. ""Most of those forming part of the old dispensation are reaching retirement age. This leaves a huge vacuum in between the structures because the new members do not have enough experience to take up senior positions,"" said Kashihakumwa. Although the maximum intake number at all three police training colleges in the country is 2 000, the shortage of police officers has forced the authorities to exceed the limit and enrol 2 800 students for the training programme. ""As much as we want to increase the intake the limited financial resources and infrastructure is the challenge,"" Kashihakumwa said. With most Namibians unable to afford private medical treatment, state health facilities are swamped with patients on a daily basis. Currently it is estimated that the state health system caters for 70 percent of the country’s population. On the current structure there is provision for employment of 2 591 nurses. Currently, 2 426 of those positions are filled, leaving a vacancy of 166. As for registered nurses, the structure makes provision for 2 257 positions, 1 998 of which are filled – leaving 259 vacancies. Paulus says the new structure requires double the number of staff. ""We have restructured the ministry to open up more positions, but then again the filling of these positions will be the problem. We have signed agreements with several training institutions to offer nursing courses,"" said Paulus. By Mathias Haufiku " 2014-10-31Mathias Haufiku
