Going online and global for children
The education ministry on Friday launched the global online Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) platform in Namibia at Eenhana in the Ohangwena Region as a platform to update information on child rights across the globe.
This also formed part of the Day of the Namibian Child commemoration, aimed at raising awareness of the plight of children in the country.
CRC chairperson in Namibia Olivia Shinana said that the purpose of the global online platform is to create child-friendly schools by raising awareness among the stakeholders and implementing CRC in schools focusing on provision, participation and protection.
Shinana said the programme is also aimed at educating, sensitising and training education stakeholders including learners, teachers, parents, education officers and civic leaders.
She said the CRC in Namibia was implemented in 2004 and is being led by change agents who were trained by the organisation, currently operating in nine regions of the country.
“The project piloted results in the sensitisation and training of education officials, teachers, learners, parents, civic leaders, inspectors and school boards to enable them to have an understanding of children's rights,” Shinana said.
“After the project was piloted in schools where it was implemented, it was established into a national network. The network has taken initiative to train more CRC change agents countrywide particularly in regions without any. Onawa Secondary School in Omusati Region has established a link with a sister school in Sweden.”
Martha Amutenya, a change agent from Omusati Region, said the aim of this integrated online programme is to enhance knowledge and capacity in both people and organisations that deal with children in their profession, regarding the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“This is an initiative of the Child Rights Institute at Lund University of Sweden, together with 16 national networks (including Namibia) from different organisations all over the world. It is in line with the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030 and the aim of this networking and learning portal is to provide professionals with a useful platform where experiences can be shared, knowledge enhanced and results disseminated - all in the best interest of the child,” Amutenya said.
She said since 2004 Namibia has been enjoying the benefit of the programme with funds by the international training programme Child Rights, Classroom and School Management that is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). The funding however stopped in 2016.
The deputy minister of education Anna Nghipondoka, in a speech read on her behalf, said that that since the funding stopped the country had managed to establish the national networking to facilitate and strengthen the CRC activities.
“Since 2016 when Sida stopped funding the training, we were expected to take over. For easing up the process, Lund University shared the information and ideas with change agents from all participated countries. Each country that participated is expected to have a platform where all the stakeholders can have access to update information on child rights across the globe,” Nghipondoka said.
Nghipondoka said that success of this programme is a shared responsibility and she therefore encouraged the involvement of parents, traditional leaders, political leaders, political office bearers, NGOs, educators and children to make the CRC relevant.
ILENI NANDJATO
This also formed part of the Day of the Namibian Child commemoration, aimed at raising awareness of the plight of children in the country.
CRC chairperson in Namibia Olivia Shinana said that the purpose of the global online platform is to create child-friendly schools by raising awareness among the stakeholders and implementing CRC in schools focusing on provision, participation and protection.
Shinana said the programme is also aimed at educating, sensitising and training education stakeholders including learners, teachers, parents, education officers and civic leaders.
She said the CRC in Namibia was implemented in 2004 and is being led by change agents who were trained by the organisation, currently operating in nine regions of the country.
“The project piloted results in the sensitisation and training of education officials, teachers, learners, parents, civic leaders, inspectors and school boards to enable them to have an understanding of children's rights,” Shinana said.
“After the project was piloted in schools where it was implemented, it was established into a national network. The network has taken initiative to train more CRC change agents countrywide particularly in regions without any. Onawa Secondary School in Omusati Region has established a link with a sister school in Sweden.”
Martha Amutenya, a change agent from Omusati Region, said the aim of this integrated online programme is to enhance knowledge and capacity in both people and organisations that deal with children in their profession, regarding the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“This is an initiative of the Child Rights Institute at Lund University of Sweden, together with 16 national networks (including Namibia) from different organisations all over the world. It is in line with the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030 and the aim of this networking and learning portal is to provide professionals with a useful platform where experiences can be shared, knowledge enhanced and results disseminated - all in the best interest of the child,” Amutenya said.
She said since 2004 Namibia has been enjoying the benefit of the programme with funds by the international training programme Child Rights, Classroom and School Management that is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). The funding however stopped in 2016.
The deputy minister of education Anna Nghipondoka, in a speech read on her behalf, said that that since the funding stopped the country had managed to establish the national networking to facilitate and strengthen the CRC activities.
“Since 2016 when Sida stopped funding the training, we were expected to take over. For easing up the process, Lund University shared the information and ideas with change agents from all participated countries. Each country that participated is expected to have a platform where all the stakeholders can have access to update information on child rights across the globe,” Nghipondoka said.
Nghipondoka said that success of this programme is a shared responsibility and she therefore encouraged the involvement of parents, traditional leaders, political leaders, political office bearers, NGOs, educators and children to make the CRC relevant.
ILENI NANDJATO
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