The Minister of Education, Innovation, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC), Sanet Steenkamp, has called on staff of the ministry to uphold the integrity of the profession and ensure restoration of public trust.

Dr Steenkamp's appeal came during her address there, in setting the tone for the 2026 academic year. 
The education minister reminded the ministry's staff of the public's high expectations of them - emphasising the demand for honesty, accountability and professional conduct. 

"Today I want to be very clear about expectations, standards and directives. We are one ministry with one standard, and that is the standard of excellence. But you cannot have a standard of excellence if you do not attend to the basic things. Basic things such as customer service: how do I speak to people who are already tired and frustrated, people who've been sent from one post to another, and how do I treat them with the necessary dignity? We must get our basics right. Whether you work in a regional office, a head office, circuit offices, a school, an arts council, a sports body, or a youth entity, or any other public institution under this ministry, there will be no separate standards. We will all conform to one standard."

Dr Steenkamp commended the workforce for their dedication to their pursued profession.
Deputy Education Minister Dino Ballotti also addressed the gathering, stressing that schools form the foundation for national development and service delivery.

"Today is all about people. It is about you, it is about me, and it is about the men and the women who show up every day to serve our ministry and, through that, the people of Namibia. Today is an opportunity to align ourselves to one team."