Nurses, teachers take oath of service

More than 80 nurses and about 200 teachers took their oath of service on Tuesday evening at Ongwediva. The group completed a four-year University of Namibia (Unam) training course and took their oath ahead of their scheduled graduation. The nurses completed their studies at Unam’s Oshakati Campus, while the teachers graduated from Unam’s Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus of at Ongwediva. Speaking at the oath-taking event, Director of the Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus, Dr Sacky Iipinge, called on the teachers and nurses to revive the pride that goes with their profession. “The society will respect and treat us with dignity if we apply integrity and seriousness to ourselves,” Iipinge said. He reminded the teachers and nurses that society will shun them once they lower themselves and their standard to the lowest level through conduct. Iipinge charged that children will not want to become teachers in future and the profession will be abandoned if teachers lower themselves. The image of the teaching profession, Iipinge said, has been tarnished by teachers who send love messages to learners and promise them material possessions that make them leave school. “This is an oath not only applying to our profession, but our life,” Iipinge told the new nurses and teachers. Lucia Ndahepuluka Kephas was awarded the overall best nursing student for doing the best practical in community health nursing science and for the best practical in mental health. ONGWEDIVA NAMPA