Children’s parliament to tackle education challenges, pupil pregnancies

Over 60 pupils from Namibia’s 14 regions are expected to gather at the National Assembly for the week-long Children’s parliament session, under the theme ‘Transforming Education in Namibia’.

The sixth session of the Children’s parliament is scheduled to take place from 12 to 19 July.

This was announced in a statement released by parliament on 28 June.

According to the statement, this year’s session aims to address critical post-Covid-19 challenges in the education sector, such as school dropouts and pupil pregnancies.

“According to the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture’s statistics, over 15 000 pupils dropped out of school in 2021 alone, of which over 2 000 were as a result of pupil pregnancy,” noted the statement.

National Assembly speaker Peter Katjavivi highlighted that the Children’s parliament was more than just a forum.

“It’s a catalyst for change. It empowers our youth to engage in the democratic processes, shaping a future where every child’s voice is heard and their rights are upheld,” Katjavivi said.

He noted that Namibia attaches great importance to the rights of children as it has enacted and ratified a myriad of both domestic and international conventions aimed at protecting the rights of children.

The upcoming session will see youth representatives converging to listen to expert presenters and further discuss pressing issues in education.

Speaking on the same platform, National Assembly spokesperson Sakeus Kadhikwa said parliament is committed to fostering a platform to discuss inclusive education for the benefit of the Namibian child.

“This session will not only focus on identifying challenges but also on proposing actionable recommendations that can contribute to a transformative education system in Namibia,” Kadhikwa said.

The Children’s parliament, premised on the Namibian Constitution that calls for freedom of expression and fundamental human rights, is an initiative of the Namibian parliament in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund.