Schools allowed to solicit donations
The education ministry executive director said free education does not necessarily mean that all the needs of learners will be catered for by government, as other stakeholders should also join the party and do their part.
KENYA KAMBOWE
RUNDU
The Education Act of 2001 makes provision for schools to seek funds through fundraising activities to complement school development monies.
This according to education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp, who was responding to perceptions that her recent directive to schools to solicit donations for learners was because government is unable to keep up with the demands of free education.
Steenkamp said free education does not necessarily mean that all the needs of learners will be catered for by government, as other stakeholders should also join the party and do their part.
This follows her communique, dated 11 June, in which she requested education directors to advise schools benefitting from the Namibian School Feeding Programme (NSFP) to solicit donations to ensure each learner has their own utensils as well as protective clothing for those preparing food.
330 000 learners fed
Over 330 000 learners in 1 400 schools across the country are fed through the programme, and with the current coronavirus pandemic, health officials have advised that learners should not be sharing utensils, something which can potentially lead to the spread of the virus.
Her statement further advised schools to participate in fundraising activities to support the NSFP's sustainability and to improve facilities such as storerooms, kitchens, water and sanitation as well as other projects.
Prior to the communication, parents, especially those from poor backgrounds, have been complaining about the consistent demand from schools to either provide funds or certain materials, something many have described as contrary to their understanding of free education. Some even described the widely praised free education as a “political move” by Swapo to gain popularity.
Understanding free education
Steenkamp, however, said “it depends on how you understand free education”.
“Now, you must remember that we have a budget and the budget that we have specifically makes provision for the provision of food, and that is one meal a day per child. And then we still have the community hostels government is subsidising.
“These community hostels in all 14 regions, per child enrolled, receive N$22 per day, and that is quite a substantial amount. There are specific guidelines as to how these monies should be used,” she said.
RUNDU
The Education Act of 2001 makes provision for schools to seek funds through fundraising activities to complement school development monies.
This according to education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp, who was responding to perceptions that her recent directive to schools to solicit donations for learners was because government is unable to keep up with the demands of free education.
Steenkamp said free education does not necessarily mean that all the needs of learners will be catered for by government, as other stakeholders should also join the party and do their part.
This follows her communique, dated 11 June, in which she requested education directors to advise schools benefitting from the Namibian School Feeding Programme (NSFP) to solicit donations to ensure each learner has their own utensils as well as protective clothing for those preparing food.
330 000 learners fed
Over 330 000 learners in 1 400 schools across the country are fed through the programme, and with the current coronavirus pandemic, health officials have advised that learners should not be sharing utensils, something which can potentially lead to the spread of the virus.
Her statement further advised schools to participate in fundraising activities to support the NSFP's sustainability and to improve facilities such as storerooms, kitchens, water and sanitation as well as other projects.
Prior to the communication, parents, especially those from poor backgrounds, have been complaining about the consistent demand from schools to either provide funds or certain materials, something many have described as contrary to their understanding of free education. Some even described the widely praised free education as a “political move” by Swapo to gain popularity.
Understanding free education
Steenkamp, however, said “it depends on how you understand free education”.
“Now, you must remember that we have a budget and the budget that we have specifically makes provision for the provision of food, and that is one meal a day per child. And then we still have the community hostels government is subsidising.
“These community hostels in all 14 regions, per child enrolled, receive N$22 per day, and that is quite a substantial amount. There are specific guidelines as to how these monies should be used,” she said.
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