MEAC promotes importance of education for San girls

WINDHOEK, 28 AUG – The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MEAC) assured San girls that by staying in school, they will ensure that the future generations of San people will also receive quality education.
A statement issued to Nampa by the Women’s Leadership Centre (WLC) on Tuesday quoted the MEAC’s Diagnostic, Advisory and Training Services Deputy Director, Ayesha Wentworth as saying this on Thursday at a public advocacy event, explaining that this would allow them to escape the cycle of feeling trapped and helpless.

The event, which was hosted by WLC was titled: San girls! First Girls! Growing up strong.
She explained that girls from the San community face many difficulties in the process of completing school, such as going to school even when they are hungry and have no school uniforms or basic toiletries.

“I commend you for your determination to go to school. I know many San girls go to school even when labelled, called names or bullied every day because of who you are,” she added.
She noted that MEAC, teachers and parents have a big responsibility to do everything in order to support San girls in reaching their goals.

This, she continued, can be done by striving to make the schools culturally relevant, inclusive, more tolerant and caring.

Children from all cultures and language groups must feel welcome as equals and their respective cultures and languages must be respected, promoted and valued as gifts to the school, community and to society, she added.
The WLC project reached a total of 150 San girls between the age of eight and 14 years from Kavango East, Oshikoto and Omaheke Regions.

The media statement further revealed that through the WLC project, girls learned about their human rights, history, culture, puberty, child marriage, child abuse, early pregnancy and HIV/Aids and how to build good relationships with families and trusted adults.

The public advocacy was a closing event of the two-and-a-half-year WLC project funded by the Finnish Embassy in Namibia titled: “San girls prevent child marriage and early pregnancy.” – NAMPA