Category: Education

The Ministry of Education in the Oshana Region has confirmed that about 100 learners from Mweshipandeka Secondary School have been treated for flu-like symptoms.

Oshana Director of Education Hileni Amukana confirmed this on Sunday, saying that they are waiting for a medical expert report.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Oranjemund Private School and Suiderlig Secondary School were awarded the top primary and secondary schools respectively, at the ||Kharas Region Science Fair which ended here on Friday.

The science fair started at Keetmanshoop on Wednesday and the two schools each walked away with a microscope voucher worth N.dollars 14 000, donated by the Anglo Foundation and the Debmarine-Namdeb Foundation.

From the 104 projects presented at the fair, Likius Ashipala from Suiderlig Secondary School was the overall winner of the science fair and walked away with a laptop, after showcasing an electricity tampering sensor device that sense and detect illegal tampering of electricity

Ashipala in an interview with Nampa said: “I did this because even though electricity companies are doing their best to protect their properties from illegal connections while delivering electricity to the nation such activities still happen.”

This device can detect illegal activities and at the same time, notify the electricity company. The device uses senses that are beyond human hearing, so things that human can hear it will pick up vibration and detection, he added.

Ashipala was also awarded overall winner for the senior secondary category.

Joy Linane from Oranjemund Private School took the Junior Primary overall winner award, while David Halweendo from Ambrorius Hamutenya Primary School and Summer Mature from Oranjemund Private School shared the senior primary overall winner award.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the science fair chief judge, Connie Willemse urged schools to invest more in the science fair at their respective school in order to prepare learners for the regional fair.

“Schools let’s invest more in the science fair as it offers a learning experience for the learners. To the learners even if today you don’t walk away with an award let this be a learning opportunity for you to do different next time, you can be second best this time but you can come back next year and be your best,” she said.

Meanwhile, 12 learners were chosen to represent the region at the national science fair taking place in September in Windhoek.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Science, ICT and Youth Development will be conducting oversight visits on the high failure rates of the Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and Advanced (NSSCAS) levels of 2022.

This resolution came after the seventh session of the sixth National Council held from 13 to 17 February 2023 deliberated on the high failure rate of learners who sat for the 2022 national examinations for NSSCO and NSSCAS levels.

In a media statement issued on Friday, the Research and Information Sub-Division of the National Council stated that the first leg of the oversight exercise will cover seven regions and will commence on Monday, 31 July 2023 in the Kunene Region and conclude on Monday, 21 August 2023 in the Zambezi Region.

The committee will conduct a series of public hearings with relevant stakeholders including parents, the regional education directorate, school boards, student bodies, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations and traditional leaders at selected locations in the region, the statement read.

The National Council stated that the committee will seek answers to and clarity on the effect of the introduction of the new curriculum and extent to which the teachers were prepared for the implementation of the new curriculum.

It will also look at the effect of the automatic promotion of Grade 9 learners of 2020 to the next grade, existence and robustness of a monitoring and evaluation system within the education system and the level of discipline at schools amongst learners and teachers.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Director of NIRO Education, Roadine Willemse said that career guidance is vital for students and parents because they need to be certain that a particular field of study is the right one for their child before they invest money and time.

Willemse said this on Wednesday here during the NIRO Education Career Guidance and University Readiness Conference, which aimed to give insights into the emerging markets and skills gaps in Namibia and ensure students make informed decisions in respect of their career choices to align those with the priority areas of the country.

“The student development programme and a Cambridge programme, which is currently running with about 40 students enrolled, aim to develop soft skills within students,” Willemse said.

Willemse added that students wishing to study science-related fields should opt for the Cambridge curriculum rather than the General Educational Development (GED), which is more convenient for students wishing to go into commercial fields.

“Our services are a one-stop shop from the application process right through to the visa and orientation in the other country,” Willemse said.

Ulrich Hanstein, the Executive Director at Win-Win Namibia, said that the market and the economy of the country have changed, and people need to adapt or else they will not survive.

“Namibia is an emerging market because we have so many opportunities and people want to be a part of it. Our geographical location is perfect and gives access to different markets, which makes other people want to team up with us,” Hanstein said.

However, Hanstein added that although there are many opportunities in the emerging market, youth unemployment is still high because innovation among the youth remains an issue, adding that innovation and entrepreneurship are the future.

“Namibia is moving from an agriculture-based economy and moving into industrialisation now, and this economy has a few drivers, namely the mining, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors and their related services, mineral resources, and tourism,” Hanstein stated.

Source: NAMPA

The Examination Board of Cameroon General Certificate of Education has released the 2023 results of the end-of-year exams.

The Advance and Ordinary Levels General and Technical results were made public on July 24, 2023.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture’s Oshigambo circuit in the Oshikoto Region had their annual staff conference last week for team building and review of academic performances.

Speaking at the conference, Fillemon Nangolo, Deputy Director: Programmes and Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture said that principals are the instructional leaders and catalysts of change as they play critical roles in running schools properly.

Nangolo who was a former principal at Oshigambo Senior Secondary School stated that principals must understand that they have the authority to make decisions that are in the best interest of the school.

“The transformation process of our education system relies on the dedication, commitment and ability of principals and their staff to execute their duties with diligence and meticulousness,” he said.

He further said that studies have revealed that there is a direct correlation between the leadership of a school and learner performance.

“The weaker the leadership of the school, the poorer the results of learners,” Nangolo stated.

Nangolo pointed out that the National Conference on Education held in Windhoek (2011) resolved to make changes in the National Curriculum for Basic Education.

“The old curriculum was not corresponding to the needs and demands of the society. Therefore the Namibian Cabinet approved the changes suggested in the conference to address the contemporary issues such as gender-based violence, ICT, corruption, introduction to vocational subjects, motor vehicle accidents, respect of others and many more,” he explained.

Nangolo said the curriculum change wants to ensure that learners take up career paths that assist them to create jobs.

“The change in curriculum requires teachers who are role models, teachers who lead, influence and inspire learners to achieve quality education,” he said.

Moreover the reformed curriculum requires teachers who inspire and motivate individuals’ personalities in order to adopt the concept of creative thinking to generate more ideas which can be used to create jobs and combat the virus of unemployment in the country.

The role of providing auxiliary services to a school is of cardinal importance as that of teaching and learning.

“School administrative officers, you are the first point of interaction with the community, customer relations management should be central to your day to day dealing,” he narrated.

At the same conference Aletta Eises, Director of Education, Arts and Culture of Oshikoto Region stated that the performance of Oshigambo circuit should not be around 68.4 per cent but around 90 per cent.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU) has conferred an honorary doctorate degree on First Lady Zinash Tayachew today.

The university awarded the honorary doctorate degree to the first lady for her determined effort in opening and expanding secondary and boarding schools across the country in order to bring about fairness and quality in education.

First Lady Zinash has built 27 standard secondary and boarding schools for tens of thousands of students, it was learned.

The schools were built in Oromia, Sidama, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, Afar, and SNNP regions as well as Addis Ababa city.

The first lady has also carried out a project that supports 695 former prostitutes in Bahir Dar city. Speaking at the ceremony where the university graduated a total of 1,446 students today, she thanked the university for the recognition of the work done in the social sector.

“Since I assumed this responsibility, I have tried to focus mainly on two things: education and bread supply. I think the reason for this is clear. If a person in need can get at least bread within his means, he will not be exposed to hunger and poverty. He can work and study. I believe that leaving someone who has earned his daily bread is like leaving someone in the middle of the sea. The way to reach the port is education. (And) many Ethiopian children have overcome poverty through education.”

During the occasion, Adama Science and Technology University also conferred honorary doctorate degrees upon two distinguished Ethiopians, namely Tabor Wami and Zegye Asfaw for their contributions in their respective careers.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency