Steenkamp urges staff to implement government’s education plans

Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp has urged the ministry staff to accelerate the implementation of their mandates, emphasising the need for swift action across all departments.

Speaking during the staff greeting ceremony on Wednesday, Steenkamp said the ministry has five years to effectively carry out the new mandate.

“Three months are gone already, there is no time to say I am settling in, please run and run fast. [President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah] does not want to hear that work is in progress, that it is in the pipeline – tangible actions and tangible results are what we are looking into,” she added.

She said each function within the ministry is equally important and urged staff to celebrate and embrace the ministry’s diversity rather than resisting it.

“We should not say it is not my role, it is not my function or work. We cannot have the notion that when one is assigned to a particular committee, to say ‘It’s not my job, I will not do it’,” she noted.

Steenkamp further urged staff to avoid professional jealousy and negativity and to instead promote a culture of embracing individuality and unity.

She indicated that respect for all, openness to learning and appreciation for different perspectives will be crucial for the implementation at the new merged ministry.
“Our president emphasised that we are too few to be poor. That means we must maximise every opportunity, every bit of our resources and every talent in our ministry to drive national progress. We cannot afford inefficiencies, deficiencies, divisions, resistance to positive change or transformation… We must stand together, work hard and think smart to achieve our goals,” she said.

The minister further noted that the consolidation of the ministry is not merely administrative restructuring, but a vision of a holistic approach to national development.

“I believe the decision to merge this critical portfolio stems from her excellency’s profound understanding that education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture are indeed inseparable. It brings together several crucial sectors and functions that shape the foundation of our society,” she said.

• Nampa