The poor academic results achieved last year in the Erongo Region should motivate educators and learners to strive for better results this year.
This is according to education stakeholders who took part in the annual consultative meeting at Swakopmund.
The class of 2023, Grade 11, and Advanced Subsidiary Level in Erongo performed poorly.
The region dropped from the 6th to the 11th position for AS level and from the 4th to the 6th position for grade 11.
"We tried our best, and I want to urge you to continue trying and not be demoralised. Our dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators worked tirelessly to uphold our commitment to provide quality education to every Namibian child in the Erongo Region," said Governor Neville Andre.
The governor said the state, learners, and community members, especially parents, should all play a part in ensuring quality education.
He stressed that the sector is faced with challenges, including overcrowded schools, a lack of learning facilities, and disruptive attitudes among learners.
"We still have some grade one learners who are not placed, and we are going towards the middle of the year, and this is worrisome. Others, in terms of challenges, are limited equipment such as textbooks and learning facilities."
Erongo's Education Director, Erenfriede Stephanus, pointed out that the number of learners increases annually, putting pressure on the already limited resources.
She said recruitment of staff is another challenge hampering education delivery, while some secondary school learners are still struggling to read.
"The school principals, education officers, and inspectors are expected to analyse their results in all the grades from primary up to the AS level because our concentration level is in the secondary phase, while we have a challenge, as mentioned yesterday, that the learners joining us in the secondary phase cannot even read. In some of the schools, it was also identified through our visits."
Despite poor academic results last year, there were a few schools, such as Duinesig High School, that achieved a 100% pass rate.