By Elezo Libanda
Katima Mulilo, Nov. 8 – Citizens are questioning if free education in Namibia is really free.
Article 20 of the Namibian Constitution, guarantees the provision of free education to every citizen of Namibia.
The article says the state shall provide reasonable facilities to render effective article 20, by establishing and maintaining state schools at which primary education will be provided free of charge.
However, the important question on everyone’s lips, remains to what extent is free education, as in most cases the Namibian education system is fast becoming a privilege rather than a right.
Education is regarded as a human right in most countries around the world, it enables human beings to be proficient in basic and advanced numeracy.
Many questions have been asked as some schools have allegedly been turning away children due to outstanding school fees from the previous education calendar, and this has caused parents to express their concerns if free education is really free.
Many parents have complained in the past about yearly stationery lists and other financial demands from government schools. The demands from schools are now worse than when parents were paying school fees and parents fear they may fail to meet them as in most cases those demands come with deadlines.
A parent in Zambezi who spoke to NDN said he was better off when he was paying school fees, as that could cater for stationery and other supplies.
Patrick Sabo says the concept of free education is not being implemented fully, school principals still feel they are in control and there is no law above them, they even ignore directives from their executive director.
The Ministry of education is tasked to ensure article 20 of the Namibian constitution is implemented fully and not in part. We await January 2023 to see if really the act will be fully complied with or we will ask the office of the ombudsman to force them to comply.
“Anyone found acting contrary to this law must be charged criminally,” Sabo added
