Lorato Khobetsi

Students pursuing vocational training usually gain practical experience in their chosen fields before they graduate, which gives them an advantage in the job market.  

Llywelyn Maritshane, a teacher at the Klein Aub Resource School, has denounced the notion that learners from technical fields are academically weak, saying learners who pursue vocational education are taught to work with their hands and are industry-
ready by the time they graduate. 

“The stigma that we have is that the school is for the academically weak. It is dubbed as being for those who are not competent in (mainstream) schools; we cater for those,” he said. “But then again, technical-wise, it does not mean you are academically weak because in terms of the mathematics or the physics that you do at NIMT or UNAM regarding engineering, it’s very difficult. So, that notion of people saying technical learners are academically weak is actually wrong. We are happy with the kind of work these learners are doing”, he beamed.

The Klein Aub Resource School is one of the two technical schools in the Hardap region which offer a vocational curriculum.  The school has two streams of education and offers classes from grades five to seven as well as two-year vocational courses such as food preparation, welding, building, office administration and woodwork.  Additionally, the school has a fully-equipped computer lab sponsored by Standard Bank, in collaboration with the government of Japan.
Currently, the school has over 140 learners. 

Maritshane encouraged young girls to enrol for the vocational courses at the school. He also called on parents, especially those from the region, to enrol their children.  “What we wish is to increase the number of our girls, so the belief that girls cannot do trade subjects is wrong. What we are also trying to advocate and market is that we want learners from the Hardap region, and parents can send their children to our school,” he noted.  

He furthermore urged parents in the region to get involved in the education of their children throughout their school careers. “Education is really important. Our parents need to wake up and start realising that education for their child will be beneficial. The mere fact that other regions are prospering and people are going to university, how will we approach the ministry to build vocational institutions while we know our kids are dropping out of school in grade eight or nine? Our parents need to wake up and encourage our learners,” reiterated Maritshane. 

* Lorato Khobetsi is an information officer with MICT Hardap.