'We know the plight of teachers'
Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa has undertaken to alleviate the plight of teachers through PPPs but, Nantu disagrees.
The Namibia National Teacher's Union (Nantu) expressed its disdain for the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act and calling for its abolishment, while the education minister, Katrina Hanse Himarwa is of the view that PPPs are the only way to address the plight of teachers.
The apparent clash came to light at the Oshakati celebrations of International World Teacher's Day held on Thursday last week.
Nantu's deputy president Joseph Dinyando spoke on behalf of the union's president Simeon Kavila at a packed Oshakati Independence Stadium, filled to the brim with teachers celebrating their day.
“Nantu is also concerned on the issue of the PPP Act. This Act will deprive the majority of Namibian children of basic services such as education and health. Therefore, Nantu calls for the withdrawal of the Act because it will not address the needs of the majority of Namibians but will rather, favour the elite,” said Ndinyando.
However, Hanse-Himarwa disagreed, saying that when she travels the “breadth and width of the country” she witnesses the dire plight of many of the teachers, a fact she said, which cannot be denied. She said her ministry will look at PPPs, but only to address the plight of the teachers, she told the crowd.
“During my regional visits to schools, I have witnessed and experienced the situation on the ground. I realised that many teachers feel unappreciated and unwanted. I gather that teachers feel no one listens to them. I saw the economic difficulties of many teachers. I saw the appalling housing conditions of some teachers, the shacks and corrugated iron dwellings where they have to brave the harsh elements of either extreme heat or bitter cold weather. During the rainy season, most of you cross the flood plains to go to school, to educate the Namibian child. You leave your families behind going into the most remote areas for the sake of this nation,” says Himarwa.
Himarwa also added that her ministry has realised that teachers in both rural and urban areas are affected. She said in rural areas, because of the shortage of houses, teachers are renting living space from homesteads. In urban areas houses and flats are expensive and often beyond the means of many teachers.
“We are well aware of these realities and we do not deny their existence,” she added.
She said her ministry will continue to highlight the plight of teachers' housing and will work to mobilise support to ease many challenges experienced both inside and outside the classroom.
“The ministry is looking into public private partnerships to ensure housing for our needy staff members, as well as the rehabilitation of aging infrastructure in many of our schools. In spite of all these challenges and difficulties, my office has observed your hard work and commitment towards education delivery at various levels,” she said.
Ndinyando also said that the attitude of disregarding the teaching profession should be discouraged in the strongest terms. He said it is now high time that teaching should be treated as a profession on its own and it should be made attractive to retain the committed members of the profession.
“It is very disappointing to see that a lack of proper planning especially in the budget is hampering the smooth delivery of services such as teaching, the lack of teaching and learning materials in schools, overcrowded classrooms and others, but if the government planned and prioritised the needs of the country, things would have been different.”
Ndinyando also called on teachers to examine what has been said and do what is expected from them when they receive constructive criticism.
ILENI NANDJATO
The apparent clash came to light at the Oshakati celebrations of International World Teacher's Day held on Thursday last week.
Nantu's deputy president Joseph Dinyando spoke on behalf of the union's president Simeon Kavila at a packed Oshakati Independence Stadium, filled to the brim with teachers celebrating their day.
“Nantu is also concerned on the issue of the PPP Act. This Act will deprive the majority of Namibian children of basic services such as education and health. Therefore, Nantu calls for the withdrawal of the Act because it will not address the needs of the majority of Namibians but will rather, favour the elite,” said Ndinyando.
However, Hanse-Himarwa disagreed, saying that when she travels the “breadth and width of the country” she witnesses the dire plight of many of the teachers, a fact she said, which cannot be denied. She said her ministry will look at PPPs, but only to address the plight of the teachers, she told the crowd.
“During my regional visits to schools, I have witnessed and experienced the situation on the ground. I realised that many teachers feel unappreciated and unwanted. I gather that teachers feel no one listens to them. I saw the economic difficulties of many teachers. I saw the appalling housing conditions of some teachers, the shacks and corrugated iron dwellings where they have to brave the harsh elements of either extreme heat or bitter cold weather. During the rainy season, most of you cross the flood plains to go to school, to educate the Namibian child. You leave your families behind going into the most remote areas for the sake of this nation,” says Himarwa.
Himarwa also added that her ministry has realised that teachers in both rural and urban areas are affected. She said in rural areas, because of the shortage of houses, teachers are renting living space from homesteads. In urban areas houses and flats are expensive and often beyond the means of many teachers.
“We are well aware of these realities and we do not deny their existence,” she added.
She said her ministry will continue to highlight the plight of teachers' housing and will work to mobilise support to ease many challenges experienced both inside and outside the classroom.
“The ministry is looking into public private partnerships to ensure housing for our needy staff members, as well as the rehabilitation of aging infrastructure in many of our schools. In spite of all these challenges and difficulties, my office has observed your hard work and commitment towards education delivery at various levels,” she said.
Ndinyando also said that the attitude of disregarding the teaching profession should be discouraged in the strongest terms. He said it is now high time that teaching should be treated as a profession on its own and it should be made attractive to retain the committed members of the profession.
“It is very disappointing to see that a lack of proper planning especially in the budget is hampering the smooth delivery of services such as teaching, the lack of teaching and learning materials in schools, overcrowded classrooms and others, but if the government planned and prioritised the needs of the country, things would have been different.”
Ndinyando also called on teachers to examine what has been said and do what is expected from them when they receive constructive criticism.
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article