Experts urge focus on teacher training and curriculum reform in education sector

Public and private industry role-players say infrastructure, teacher training and curriculum reform are currently the top three priorities in the education sector.

Executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp on Wednesday said the ministry’s biggest need is more schools – not just classrooms.

“We need primary and high schools to be built in a much shorter time frame than the current medium-term expenditure framework cycle, where it takes years for a school to be constructed,” she said.

This infrastructure also includes libraries, resource centres, laboratories, sanitation facilities, and school dining halls.

“To do that, you need to have a targeted intervention and a targeted budget for infrastructure development only,” she said.

Steenkamp said this requires a review of the procurement methods as prescribed by the Procurement Act.

“We are working towards our teachers’ professional bill, which would regulate the teaching profession. That would require the professional development of teachers,” she said.

Another priority is the digital transformation of the school system.

Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha yesterday said efforts towards digitalisation should start with policy reforms.

“Any action should be informed by policy direction, and the policy direction is not something you suck out of your thumb. Policy direction should be informed by a comprehensive analysis and commitment which should come from the budget,” he said.

Kavihuha said teachers’ training curriculum should also be reviewed.

“There is no higher institution which places digitalisation at the heart of their training.

“Digitalisation should also be informed by the private sector,” he said.

Kavihuha said pupils should not be allowed to leave school in Grade 11.

“And the curriculum must talk to the labour market. Then there is the issue of recognising extra training,” he said.

Private Schools Association of Namibia chairperson Colette Rieckert on Wednesday said one of the biggest challenges in the local education sector is that teachers are not qualified enough to teach their subjects.

“The latest report sent out by the National Institute for Educational Development said only 25% of Namibian teachers are actually qualified in government schools for the subjects they are supposed to teach,” she said.

Rieckert said the current curriculum is too difficult for the average to below-average pupil.

Another issue is that pupils are forced to leave school after Grade 11 if they do not pass Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level.

“If they don’t pass the subjects, they don’t even get an ordinary level school-leaving certificate. So then, they basically have no matric,” she said.