The ||Kharas Education Directorate has denounced the picketing of parents against the newly appointed principal at Minna Sachs Primary School at Keetmanshoop.
A group of parents alleged that the appointed principal was not recommended by the school board.
The protestors also raised the issue that the principal was not speaking Khoekhoegowab at a school attended by children coming predominantly from this language group.
"The post was advertised; the panel recommended a candidate, and the school board also recommended; now it should be made clear that the panel and the school board only have recommending powers, and from there, it goes to the regional director, who also only has recommending powers, and the acting chief regional officer, who also only recommends. This recommendation was sent to the Teaching Service Commission; the Teaching Service Commission recommended the candidate for approval, but the candidate the school board recommended was not approved, and somebody else was approved as principal of Mina Sachs Primary School," explained Ryan Assegaai, the Inspector for the Kalahari Circuit.
Assegaai also clarified that Khoekhoegowab fluency was not a prerequisite for the principal position in question.
"What happened is that it is true; they cited language barriers as a problem at the school because it is predominantly a Nama-speaking community, as we say Khoekhoegowab, and they were not happy with the outcome of this recommendation. We explained to them that for the post that was advertised, there were no supplementary requirements that the person who applied for the post should be able to speak Khoekhoegowab because that is not part of the recruitment process we follow."
The inspector further reminded the protesters not to make the principal's appointment a tribal issue.
Protestors vowed not to allow the appointed principal to commence with her duties.
According to Assegaai, the education authority management, school board members, and parents were expected to meet today in an attempt to resolve the matter.