Education ministry supports inclusivity in schools, rejects LGBTQI+ curriculum claims

… Dismisses claims of LGBTQI+ oriented curriculum

Deputy executive director of education Edda Bohn says the ministry advocates inclusivity in schools.

Speaking to Desert Radio yesterday, Bohn denied that some schools in the country are promoting a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and other (LGBTQI+) agenda.

“The curriculum does not promote homosexuality or same-sex marriage.

These are not topics in our curriculum, I can assure the nation,” she said.

This comes after an anti-LGBTQI+ committee, led by unionist Pendapala Nakathingo, petitioned the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture yesterday to stop teaching children about sexuality without the consent of their parents.

“We are rejecting the LGBTQI+ agenda and we are requesting the minister to issue a clear directive to all government schools to remove the LGBTQI+ flags that are painted at schools,” he said during the handover of a petition to the education ministry in Windhoek yesterday.

Nakathingo alleged that organisations like the #BeFree Movement, led by the former first lady Monica Geingos, are pushing an LGBTQI+ agenda.

“I have the information in terms of the school curriculum that #BeFree produced a workshop in the Omaheke region, at Gobabis, teaching sexual education,” he said.

Nakathingo claimed the committee received information confirming what he termed the teaching of sexual immorality and promoting an LGBTQI+ agenda in schools.

“As parents, we don’t want our children to become homosexuals, but to remain heterosexual and continue giving birth to increase our population,” he said.

Nakathingo called on the education ministry to ensure the removal of LGBTQI+ flags in all government schools, especially pre-primary schools.

“We are not against the law.

We are against homosexuality and we are still fighting to restore the sodomy law,” he said on Desert Radio yesterday.

In a media statement yesterday, One Economy Foundation denied the allegations against them by Nakathingo.

“We reiterate that there is no truth in the malicious suggestions and statements that Nakathingo is spreading.”

National coodinator for One Economy Frieda Stefanus says the #BeFree Movement has been a transformative platform for adolescents and young people for nearly a decade.

“These challenges include topics like substance abuse, family conflict, adolescent parenthoods, lack of financial resources and a myriad of issues that affect young people,” she said.

LGBTQI+ activist Linda Baumann says the call to “reject the LGBTQI+ agenda” is discriminatory and harmful.

“The LGBTQI+ community is not an agenda or a threat. They are simply people who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. “As an activist, I’m deeply concerned by these statements and actions against the LGBTQI+ community in Namibia,”says Baumann.

Baumann says there is no scientific evidence to support claims that educating children about LGBTQI+ matters leads to an increase in child molestation and sodomy.

She labels such claims unfounded and harmful.

She says teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity can help to prevent sexual abuse by providing young people with accurate information that may empower them to speak out if they experience abuse.

Baumann further says the rainbow flag is a symbol of LGBTQI+ pride and acceptance, and removing flags from schools will send a message of exclusion and intolerance.