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Photo: Contributed
Photo: Contributed

Nanso uncovers severe shortcomings at schools

'Fix My School' campaign launched
The initiative aims to address critical concerns head-on and restore the promise of quality education for every learner.
Hinauarue Rijatua
In the face of escalating educational challenges, the Namibia National Students Organisation's (Nanso) examination readiness campaign has revealed a pressing array of issues plaguing schools - broken down infrastructure, a severe shortage of textbooks and rampant disciplinary problems.

Nanso president Dorthea Nangolo announced the preliminary findings of the campaign, which was aimed to evaluate and improve school preparedness for the upcoming examinations. "This campaign is more than a routine exercise; it is a strategic intervention to address both the immediate and systemic challenges plaguing our education system, she said.

Its first phase covered key regions, including Otjozondjupa, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Oshana and Omusati, extending to remote areas near the Namibia-Angola border. The initiative aimed to uncover and address issues that could hinder learners' academic performance.

Findings revealed several critical problems. "The main aim for the regional visits was not only to assess the state of schools, but to pre-empt possible shortcomings that may affect the performance of learners in the upcoming examinations."



'Unacceptable and unconstitutional'

In a press statement, the organisation said the first issue was the lack of discipline in schools, which undermines learners' focus and achievements. Nanso stressed that while discipline is essential, corporal punishment is unacceptable and unconstitutional. Schools must foster discipline without resorting to violence, it said. "This matter demands immediate and coordinated intervention from both educators and parents. Discipline is the foundation upon which academic success is built, and without it, we cannot expect our learners to reach their full potential," Nangolo said.

According to the student organisation, the state of school infrastructure is alarming. Many facilities, including Eembaxu Combined School in Ohangwena, are in poor condition, with collapsing roofs and hazardous floors. Nanso attributed this to broader issues of mismanaged resources and inadequate maintenance.

"The dilapidated state of many of our schools is not only alarming, but utterly unacceptable. This is an outrage. No Namibian child should be subjected to learning in environments that fail to meet even the most basic occupational health and safety standards," Nangolo said.

The shortage of learning materials, particularly textbooks, is another pressing issue that was brought to light. However, schools report that textbooks are often not returned by learners, with some institutions losing up to 70 books annually. The mismanagement of these resources are said to affect educational quality and necessitates better accountability, according to Nanso.

Nangolo added that the lack of essential examination equipment, such as science apparatus and computers, is another significant concern. Bureaucratic delays in procuring these materials exacerbate the problem, highlighting inefficiencies in the system, she said.



'Fix My School'

Determined to turn the tide, the organisation is now spearheading the 'Fix My School' campaign, a call to action for a united front involving government bodies, businesses and parents alike. This initiative aims to address these critical concerns head-on and restore the promise of quality education for every learner.

The campaign will see the renovation and repair of school infrastructure with community support, Nanso said. The organisation has called on the government, private sector and parents to collaborate in addressing these issues.

As the campaign progresses, Nanso assured the public that it will submit a comprehensive report to the education ministry, detailing regional performance predictions and actionable recommendations. The organisation further urged collective action to support learners and ensure they are well-prepared for their exams. Its efforts will culminate in the Edu Run Marathon this Saturday to promote educational equity, it said.

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Namibian Sun 2024-10-08

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 621.07/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.45/lb DOWN -0.0196 | Zinc US$ 3 096.00/T UP 0.12% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 77.90/BBP DOWN -0.0457 | Platinum US$ 953.67/OZ DOWN -0.0177 Sport results: Premier League: Brighton 3 vs 2 Tottenham Hotspur | Chelsea 1 vs 1 Nottingham Forest | Aston Villa 0 vs 0 Manchester United | Everton 0 vs 0 Newcastle | West Ham 4 vs 1 Ipswich Town | Manchester City 3 vs 2 Fulham | Leicester City 1 vs 0 Bournemouth | Brentford 5 vs 3 Wolves | Arsenal 3 vs 1 Southampton | Crystal Palace 0 vs 1 Liverpool LaLiga: Real Sociedad 1 vs 1 Atletico Madrid | Sevilla 1 vs 0 Real Betis | Deportivo Alaves 0 vs 3 Barcelona | Girona 2 vs 1 Athletic Club | Real Madrid 2 vs 0 Villarreal | Real Valladolid 1 vs 2 Rayo Vallecano | Las Palmas 0 vs 1 Celta Vigo | Getafe 1 vs 1 Osasuna | Espanyol 2 vs 1 Mallorca SerieA: Fiorentina 2 vs 1 AC Milan | Monza 1 vs 1 AS Roma | SS Lazio 2 vs 1 Empoli | Bologna 0 vs 0 Parma | Juventus 1 vs 1 Cagliari | Inter Milan 3 vs 2 Torino | Atalanta 5 vs 1 Genoa | Udinese 1 vs 0 Lecce European Championships Qualifying: Bristol City 1 vs 1 Cardiff City | West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Millwall FC | Watford 2 vs 1 Middlesbrough | Swansea City 0 vs 0 Stoke City | Sheffield United 2 vs 0 Luton Town | Plymouth Argyle 2 vs 1 Blackburn Rovers | Derby County 2 vs 0 Queens Park Rangers | Coventry City 1 vs 2 Sheffield Wednesday | Portsmouth 1 vs 1 Oxford United | Norwich City 4 vs 0 Hull City | Burnley 0 vs 0 Preston North End English Championship: Bristol City 1 vs 1 Cardiff City | West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Millwall FC | Watford 2 vs 1 Middlesbrough | Swansea City 0 vs 0 Stoke City | Sheffield United 2 vs 0 Luton Town | Plymouth Argyle 2 vs 1 Blackburn Rovers | Derby County 2 vs 0 Queens Park Rangers | Coventry City 1 vs 2 Sheffield Wednesday | Portsmouth 1 vs 1 Oxford United | Norwich City 4 vs 0 Hull City | Burnley 0 vs 0 Preston North End Weather: Katima Mulilo: 18° | 36° Rundu: 17° | 38° Eenhana: 19° | 38° Oshakati: 20° | 37° Ruacana: 19° | 37° Tsumeb: 21° | 35° Otjiwarongo: 17° | 34° Omaruru: 18° | 34° Windhoek: 17° | 31° Gobabis: 20° | 33° Henties Bay: 13° | 19° Wind speed: 22km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 11:38, High tide: 06:00, Low Tide: 00:09, High tide: 18:07 Swakopmund: 13° | 15° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:36, High tide: 05:58, Low Tide: 00:07, High tide: 18:05 Walvis Bay: 13° | 20° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 11:36, High tide: 05:57, Low Tide: 00:07, High tide: 18:04 Rehoboth: 17° | 33° Mariental: 21° | 35° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 36° Aranos: 21° | 35° Lüderitz: 10° | 20° Ariamsvlei: 20° | 37° Oranjemund: 13° | 22° Luanda: 23° | 24° Gaborone: 18° | 30° Lubumbashi: 17° | 35° Mbabane: 13° | 28° Maseru: 13° | 27° Antananarivo: 13° | 26° Lilongwe: 19° | 32° Maputo: 18° | 30° Windhoek: 17° | 31° Cape Town: 16° | 22° Durban: 16° | 24° Johannesburg: 16° | 27° Dar es Salaam: 24° | 31° Lusaka: 18° | 32° Harare: 16° | 29° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23 | EUR to NAD 19.3 | CNY to NAD 2.49 | USD to NAD 17.59 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.28 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.65 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.17 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 132.34 | USD to AOA 905 | USD to BWP 13.24 | USD to EGP 48.55 | USD to KES 128.5 | USD to NGN 1628.3 | USD to ZAR 17.59 | USD to ZMW 26.45 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1839.33 Down -1.67% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14019.63 Down -0.97% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 30851.63 Down -3.04% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9661.12 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 621.07/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.45/lb DOWN -0.0196 | Zinc US$ 3 096.00/T UP 0.12% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 77.90/BBP DOWN -0.0457 | Platinum US$ 953.67/OZ DOWN -0.0177