Tses community petition over job given to ‘struggle kid’

KEETMANSHOOP, 2 NOV – Tses community members in the //Kharas Region tried to block a ‘struggle kid’ from commencing work at Nowak Primary School at the village on Thursday.
Director of Education, Arts and Culture in //Kharas, /Awebahe //Hoeseb told Nampa it is alleged that the group tried to hand in a petition late on Wednesday to the school principal over the appointment of the ‘struggle kid’ as a cleaner at the school.
The petitioners argued it was not fair for local jobs to be given to people from elsewhere while they themselves are unemployed.
“The school principal told them that was not the way to hand over a petition and that is when they came back on Thursday morning to hand it over,” //Hoeseb said.
The director confirmed receiving the petition from the group in person, noting the community members demand that the cleaning position be frozen or that the person works until the end of this year, after which the post should go to a person from Tses.
He said the appointment was made after a Cabinet Directive that stated that 61 children of the liberation struggle should be given jobs in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in the job categories from grade 12-15. It was directed that five of the 61 ‘struggle kids’ should be employed in the //Kharas Region.
“This person was appointed to take over the position from the previous cleaner who retired on 31 October. Wednesday was the last day of that person and the new person was supposed to start on Thursday.”
The director had signed the appointment letter of the new cleaner on 04 October.
The protestors further demanded that equal opportunities be given to them as their parents also fought for the country’s liberation and that they must be considered as ‘struggle kids’ as well.
“They want the criteria of being a ‘struggle kid’ to be clarified to them as to who these are as their parents also fought and went into exile,” said //Hoeseb.
He informed the group that the petition will be referred to Education Permanent Secretary (Sanet Steenkamp) and will then go to the Secretary to Cabinet (George Simataa) and only then, a response will be provided.
“The response will have to come from Cabinet as it is the one that has given the directive. I am just a director; I just implement policies,” //Hoeseb added.
The group gathered in front of the school, blocking the learners from entering on Thursday morning, before they were removed by the Namibian Police Force.
The Tses community earlier in October also demonstrated over local tenders that were allegedly not awarded to local companies.
(NAMPA)