Socrates have proclaimed that discipline is the highest level of education that can be attained by an educated human being. Yet, still, discipline can still be held in exception of education background. Many times, we have come across with sentiments about discipline, issues about discipline as well as conducts about discipline. From my point of view, I define discipline as an art of adhering and honouring the defined and established norms (law) and customs of a particular culture for a certain society, nation, community, institution and so forth.
Stability of any nation is mostly and directly influenced by the level of discipline of the people of that nation, this could be both political and economical stability, in military, the highest ranks are granted to the most disciplined militants, in educational institution, the highest leadership positions are provided to the most disciplined educators, in schools, learners leadership is mostly given to those learners that are more disciplined than others. For a country to have a stable economy we need leaders that are more disciplined in finance and politics, opposite of this then the current status quo will continue to trend.
Parents and teachers need to instil discipline in children, bringing up children that will become very good citizens of the country, who are law obedient then pressing issues such as passion killings and criminal behaviours will be minimised, it can only come through discipline. Corruption can be minimised if we have more disciplined public servants, road accidents will be minimised if we have more disciplined drivers who can adhere to the approved speed limit. Schools will serve no purpose if learners continue to be indiscipline henceforth, becoming bad citizens in the country; academics will be useless if they lack discipline.
My message is to emphasise more on discipline, teach ethics and good morals to the learners, model good conducts to the children and learners, but the most important of all is for us to remain humble and positive at all time, then Namibia indeed will be a disciplined and stable country.
* Martin-Olembe Antindi
Community Activist
Oshikoto region