New Basic Education Bill to address key challenges – Hanse-Himarwa.

WINDHOEK, 20 SEP – Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa on Wednesday said education is facing numerous challenges that would be addressed by the New Basic Education Bill if passed into law.
Hanse-Himarwa made these revelations in the National Assembly on Wednesday while motivating the proposed draft Bill that will replace the current Education Act of 2001.
She noted that the challenges emerged from consultations held after the National Education Conference in 2011 in the regions on different themes that need to be addressed in the proposed Bill.
Outlining some of the challenges, she said there is a need for equal rights in terms of access to free, inclusive, quality education from pre-primary through secondary school level.
Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen implementation of policies on the prevention and management of learner pregnancies in schools.
“There is a need to deliver quality learning outcomes and create an enabling environment through organised learning and classroom management. Promotion of human rights need improvement as well,” she said.
She alluded that community members expressed that they need more support by providing clear legislation for parental involvement in education and ownership.
The minister added that consultations also provided a clear regulation on school finances, funding models and school fundraising.
Hanse-Himarwa said that to ensure that Namibia keeps up with the world, there is a need to integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching, including electronic learning resources, devices, techniques and settings.
She added that computer science education should be strengthened both in learners and teachers for meaningful integration of ICT in education.
“Access to education alone is not enough. We need to ensure we continue to focus on quality by including developing legal and policy frameworks for production of robust and up to date data to inform management and plaining in education,” she said.
Furthermore, there is a need to ensure that the new curriculum provides a balance between academic and vocational subjects, providing equitable religious and moral education that caters for learners from all religious affiliations. – NAMPA