2006-10-04Staff Report 2 "By Frederick Philander WINDHOEK World Teachers' Day, described as a collaborative effort by the country's two main teachers unions, is to be festively celebrated tomorrow morning throughout the country, and specifically in the capital. The annual celebrations and the programme for the day were yesterday formally announced at a press briefing by the chairman of the Namibia National Teachers Union of Namibia (NANTU), Harold Binda. The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) was yesterday not present at the press conference at NANTU's head office in Katutura. ""We feel our union's name has been used and abused to create the impression that the two unions are working together on this. However, at present there exists very little cooperation between us due to deep-rooted differences between us and NANTU,"" said deputy president of TUN, Chanville Mackrill, when contacted for comment. He said, however, that his union members are not prohibited from attending World Teachers' Day wherever it will take place this Thursday. ""We, the progressive Namibia National Teachers' Union (NANTU), would like to join the whole and entire educational fraternity in line with the global celebration of World Teachers' Day on Thursday under the theme, Quality Teachers for Quality Education,"" said Harold Binda. According to Binda, the minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba, will deliver the keynote address at the celebrations which will be held at Eldorado Secondary School in Khomasdal. ""In view of this, we have decided that we do not want to exclude any teacher in the Khomas Region from this particular celebration. Therefore, we have joined the Teachers' Union of Namibia (TUN) in organizing the celebrations jointly. The event will be preceded by a teachers' march from the courthouse in Katutura to the school, after which the two-hour long official programme will start,"" Harold Binda said. In his opinion, the day is being celebrated to highlight the plight and problems of teachers around the country and worldwide. ""We are expecting some 700 teachers from both unions in the Khomas Region to attend the celebrations, which will be marked by a festive and relaxing mood. Several school choirs have been invited to entertain those present at the event,"" Binda said. He also intimated that tomorrow NANTU will officially and publicly set the record straight regarding several accusations and allegations by other similar and disgruntled teacher bodies in the country." 2006-10-04Staff Report 2
