Under-achievement and under-participation of boys in education have become a national concern and stakeholders are actively exploring ways to support the boy child.

A two-day colloquium was initiated by the University of Namibia (UNAM), to look into the topic.

The colloquium aims to find solutions to improve general academic achievement among boys and establish the causes of academic differences between male and female learners.

Social Security Commission CEO, Milka Mungunda says society expects boys to be raised as strong figures, which she suggests has much to do with the current discrepancy in educational performance.

"We forgot in the process that the boy child is also a human being the boy child also got feelings the boy child also wants to be nutritious and loved. And when this child grows up and goes out of the house and becomes a family man what happens? He becomes abusive and we have got a lot of domestic violence".

The conference is also aimed at creating awareness about issues specific to the boy child, their healthy upbringing, and psychological well-being.

A representative for the Secondary Schools Principal Association, Herman Katjiuongua, also touched on possible opportunities to improve learner participation.

Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Education, Art and Culture Edda Bohn reiterated the difference in performance between male and female learners

"The data have consistently shown that at the secondary school level on average more boys than girls display survival rates and low promotion rates from grade to grade. Higher failure rates, high school leaving rates, and high dropout".