Windhoek
In their quest to improve the pass rate in the Hardap Region that has been ranked as one of the poorer performing regions over the years, teachers at Rehoboth have come up with a remedial school to assist Grade 10 and 12 learners.
In recent years, the Hardap Region has experienced a slump in academic performance when compared to other regions in terms of the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) and the National Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC).
The tutors at the remedial school, known as Edward Wambo, say the school will try to nurture young intellectuals who were born and bred in Block E in Rehoboth.
Jackie #Khariseb, who is the brainchild of the initiative, yesterday told New Era that the aim is to change the status quo of Hardap Region, which has been ranked as one of the poorer or worse performing schools countrywide. He said the initiative started in February this year and was officially launched on Friday by the Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, at Rehoboth where volunteer teachers were awarded certificates for their dedication to teaching, even during the school holidays.
At the launch, Hanse-Himarwa applauded the volunteers of Rehoboth, saying the initiative will go a long way in changing for good the academic performance of learners in Hardap Region in general and Rehoboth in particular.
She said that looking at the current state of affairs in the education sector, particularly in Hardap but in Namibia as a whole, a perception exists that there are no committed and dedicated teachers. However, she admitted that Hardap has not been doing well academically.
“I had to bow my head in shame when I got the results and learnt that Hardap occupies position 14, because I am a proud product of Hardap. I too was born and bred in Hardap. I too have experienced hardship in life, but sheer determination has brought me to where I am today. If I can do it, you too can do it. Come December 2016 and January 2017, I wish to shout from the mountain tops that the mighty Hardap Region has reclaimed its rightful place in the national educational rankings,” she encouraged. Further, she said, teachers are accused of seemingly only being concerned about earning a salary as opposed to ensuring that the learners are taught, nurtured, motivated as well as equipped with the necessary skills that would enable them to become productive citizens. Hanse-Himarwa feels that even if teachers are really trying to change the current state of affairs, there are learners who do not have a vison of becoming productive citizens of society. The initiative is not only aimed at those learners who struggle academically – but even those who excel in their studies are welcome.