Cabinet explores introducing Kiswahili in schools

WINDHOEK - Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to unlock the potential of introducing Kiswahili language into the Namibian school calendar. 

This was part of the latest cabinet briefings by Information and Communication Technology Minister Stanley Simataa yesterday. The introduction of the Kiswahili language in local schools follows a proposal by Tanzania’s President John Magufuli to the Namibian government in May to introduce the language in local schools. Magufuli, during his state visit, said the introduction of the language in local schools would help remove barriers to trade and also foster better relationships between the two nations and others.

A Bantu language, Kiswahili is the lingua franca of the African Great Lakes region and other parts of eastern and south-eastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, some parts of Malawi and Zambia, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If introduced, this will be the first African language from outside Namibia to be taught in schools. 
Briefing the media here on decisions taken by Cabinet, Simataa said Cabinet directed the education ministry to unlock the potential areas of cooperation as stipulated in the draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Namibia and Tanzania on the introduction of Kiswahili language into the Namibian school curriculum. 

Furthermore, Simataa announced that Cabinet has authorised the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration to increase the validity of Namibian passports of three categories, namely the national, diplomatic and official passports from the current five years to ten years.  

Also, he said Cabinet approved the comprehensive 5th Country Report on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platforms for Action, and authorised the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare to submit the Report to the United Nations Women in New York and UNECN as required.

Cabinet also authorised the Ministry of Justice to become a signatory to the convention relating to the mandate of the Ministry of Justice.

“Cabinet directed the Ministry of Justice to take the necessary action to become a full member of the Hague Convention, and the other ministries consider ratifying the said convention in relation to the ministerial mandate,” Simataa said. 

Similarly, Simataa said Cabinet approved the signature, and future ratification, of the Convention on International Settlement Agreement Resulting from Mediation at the signing ceremony scheduled for August 7 in Singapore.