Education must review organogram
A teachers' union says it doubts whether the education ministry would be able to effectively implement a revised school curriculum.
The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) has called for an “overhaul of the education organogram”, saying that year-end results will not improve if the new revised curriculum is not aligned by a supportive structure.
While the union praised the curriculum changes, it said it was not convinced that the ministry would be able to effectively implement the revised curriculum.
TUN secretary-general Mahongora Kavihuha yesterday said they were not satisfied with the 2016 grade 10 and 12 examination results. Although there were slight improvements, the overall performance of the education system had stagnated, he said. Kavihuha noted that there was an improvement in the grade 10 pass rate from 54% in 2015 to 55.7% in 2016, while the percentage of candidates who qualified for tertiary education had improved from 29.8% in 2015 to 36.8% in 2016.
He said it was commendable that the latest results had broken some vicious cycles, such as the percentage of learners who obtained an A symbol. From 2012 to 2015, this percentage had increased from 0.3% to 0.4% in grade 10. However, he said that the overall performance of the education system had stagnated, pointing out that the points required for promotion to grade 11 had been kept at 23 for the past 16 years, although the requirement was initially supposed to be 27 points.
He said the country was implementing a revised curriculum aimed at improving the quality of education, but without a responsive support system these efforts would be futile.
“Looking at how we did things in the past we wonder if the implementation will be successful,” he said.
The union therefore proposed a revision of the ministerial organogram, especially the one that deals with academic support services.
“We need to get rid of useless positions like school inspectors and examination officers and redefine the role and operation of the subject advisor. This will also result in reduced costs.”
He said the post of inspector was an entry-level position while school principal was a promotional position.
“How can an entry-level person supervise the position of a principal? If you look at the job description of an inspector you will laugh. But these positions are created to milk the meagre resources of the ministry.”
Kavihuha said the union was also proposing a mid-term examination.
That would give learners who did not qualify for university admission the opportunity to write another exam instead of waiting an entire year before they could go to university.
“This has however fallen on deaf ears. It is being implemented around the world. What makes Namibia so rigid that it cannot be responsive? We need to make our programmes flexible.”
'Teachers victimised'
According to the union leader teachers still do not have proper accommodation, they are required to perform tasks they are not rewarded for, and they are victimised when they ask for compassionate leave and holiday leave.
He referred to an incident where the education director in the Zambezi Region ordered teachers to approach his office directly when they wanted to apply for leave.
“This is serious victimisation and the union will not condone this attitude.
“Teachers need to approach their immediate supervisor with this issue and not deal with the director.”
Kavihuha added that teachers were being transferred against their will, which he said was completely nonprocedural.
“The permanent secretary has been entertaining this and we will not allow this.”
Other issues teachers face include late salary payments and not receiving their appointment letters on time.
“How can you expect the performance to be up to standard?” he asked.
He said the education sector had been doing well with access, equity and democracy although it struggled with quality education and therefore the decision was taken to revise the curriculum.
But he alleged that the current management team of the ministry had started reversing some of the positive gains, such as democracy, that had been made in the sector.
That, he said, was done by excluding TUN and its members.
ELLANIE SMIT
While the union praised the curriculum changes, it said it was not convinced that the ministry would be able to effectively implement the revised curriculum.
TUN secretary-general Mahongora Kavihuha yesterday said they were not satisfied with the 2016 grade 10 and 12 examination results. Although there were slight improvements, the overall performance of the education system had stagnated, he said. Kavihuha noted that there was an improvement in the grade 10 pass rate from 54% in 2015 to 55.7% in 2016, while the percentage of candidates who qualified for tertiary education had improved from 29.8% in 2015 to 36.8% in 2016.
He said it was commendable that the latest results had broken some vicious cycles, such as the percentage of learners who obtained an A symbol. From 2012 to 2015, this percentage had increased from 0.3% to 0.4% in grade 10. However, he said that the overall performance of the education system had stagnated, pointing out that the points required for promotion to grade 11 had been kept at 23 for the past 16 years, although the requirement was initially supposed to be 27 points.
He said the country was implementing a revised curriculum aimed at improving the quality of education, but without a responsive support system these efforts would be futile.
“Looking at how we did things in the past we wonder if the implementation will be successful,” he said.
The union therefore proposed a revision of the ministerial organogram, especially the one that deals with academic support services.
“We need to get rid of useless positions like school inspectors and examination officers and redefine the role and operation of the subject advisor. This will also result in reduced costs.”
He said the post of inspector was an entry-level position while school principal was a promotional position.
“How can an entry-level person supervise the position of a principal? If you look at the job description of an inspector you will laugh. But these positions are created to milk the meagre resources of the ministry.”
Kavihuha said the union was also proposing a mid-term examination.
That would give learners who did not qualify for university admission the opportunity to write another exam instead of waiting an entire year before they could go to university.
“This has however fallen on deaf ears. It is being implemented around the world. What makes Namibia so rigid that it cannot be responsive? We need to make our programmes flexible.”
'Teachers victimised'
According to the union leader teachers still do not have proper accommodation, they are required to perform tasks they are not rewarded for, and they are victimised when they ask for compassionate leave and holiday leave.
He referred to an incident where the education director in the Zambezi Region ordered teachers to approach his office directly when they wanted to apply for leave.
“This is serious victimisation and the union will not condone this attitude.
“Teachers need to approach their immediate supervisor with this issue and not deal with the director.”
Kavihuha added that teachers were being transferred against their will, which he said was completely nonprocedural.
“The permanent secretary has been entertaining this and we will not allow this.”
Other issues teachers face include late salary payments and not receiving their appointment letters on time.
“How can you expect the performance to be up to standard?” he asked.
He said the education sector had been doing well with access, equity and democracy although it struggled with quality education and therefore the decision was taken to revise the curriculum.
But he alleged that the current management team of the ministry had started reversing some of the positive gains, such as democracy, that had been made in the sector.
That, he said, was done by excluding TUN and its members.
ELLANIE SMIT
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