Learners transform into hawkers, hustlers on off days
As learners in Rundu turn to the streets on their off days to earn an income, the Kavango East education director has placed the blame squarely on parents’ shoulders.
Kenya Kambowe
RUNDU
Some Rundu learners have turned into hawkers or street hustlers when not at school, a Namibian Sun probe has uncovered.
While some are at school scratching their heads as they attempt to solve a math problem, other school-going children can be spotted at dumping sites looking for materials they can sell at the scrapyard, hawking shopping malls or loitering in the streets.
This after most government schools at the riverside town implemented the platoon teaching system, which sees learners divided into groups and only attending class on certain days, due to Covid-19 protocols and overcrowding.
The consequence of this system is that children have turned to activities they would not be doing if they attended school uninterrupted from Monday to Friday. Namibian Sun could, however, not establish whether the learners who are hawking are forced to do so.
Arrest the parents
A community member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed disappointment over what is happening to learners when they are not in school.
He said these learners will psychologically be affected as they will think that going to school can be substituted by being a hawker.
“These children will grow up thinking that education is not that important because they will tend to believe that even if they fail at school, they will have a place in the streets to make money,” he said.
“A learner should be at home thinking about what he or she was taught and must be in the spirit of wanting to go to school, not being in a classroom thinking of the next off day of being in the streets.
“I call on government to arrest all parents forcing their children to become hawkers. It is wrong.”
Parents’ involvement
When contacted for comment, Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero placed the blame on parents not ensuring that their children remain focused on the days they are not at school.
He also said school principals should inform parents that when their children are not at school, they should not totally switch off but this should be time for them to prepare for the next school day.
“When the learners are off, they are not off as such. They must use the opportunity to prepare for the next day. I also saw some of the children [loitering, hawking, etc.] myself and I told them what is right. It’s really sad,” Kapapero said.
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RUNDU
Some Rundu learners have turned into hawkers or street hustlers when not at school, a Namibian Sun probe has uncovered.
While some are at school scratching their heads as they attempt to solve a math problem, other school-going children can be spotted at dumping sites looking for materials they can sell at the scrapyard, hawking shopping malls or loitering in the streets.
This after most government schools at the riverside town implemented the platoon teaching system, which sees learners divided into groups and only attending class on certain days, due to Covid-19 protocols and overcrowding.
The consequence of this system is that children have turned to activities they would not be doing if they attended school uninterrupted from Monday to Friday. Namibian Sun could, however, not establish whether the learners who are hawking are forced to do so.
Arrest the parents
A community member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed disappointment over what is happening to learners when they are not in school.
He said these learners will psychologically be affected as they will think that going to school can be substituted by being a hawker.
“These children will grow up thinking that education is not that important because they will tend to believe that even if they fail at school, they will have a place in the streets to make money,” he said.
“A learner should be at home thinking about what he or she was taught and must be in the spirit of wanting to go to school, not being in a classroom thinking of the next off day of being in the streets.
“I call on government to arrest all parents forcing their children to become hawkers. It is wrong.”
Parents’ involvement
When contacted for comment, Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero placed the blame on parents not ensuring that their children remain focused on the days they are not at school.
He also said school principals should inform parents that when their children are not at school, they should not totally switch off but this should be time for them to prepare for the next school day.
“When the learners are off, they are not off as such. They must use the opportunity to prepare for the next day. I also saw some of the children [loitering, hawking, etc.] myself and I told them what is right. It’s really sad,” Kapapero said.
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