Minah Sachs Primary School in Keetmanshoop recently hosted its first Khoekhoegowab spelling bee competition to assess the proficiency of primary-level learners in their mother tongue.

Learners from grades 1 to 3 competed in their respective divisions, showcasing their spelling skills in Khoekhoegowab.

While the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture continues its efforts to integrate language policies into the national curriculum, it still faces challenges in ensuring that more children receive instruction in their indigenous languages.

This spelling bee is part of Minah Sach's initiative to promote pride in Khoekhoegowab and encourage parents to enroll their children in the language, as it has seen declining numbers of learners in recent years.

Simona Motinga, Khoekhoegowab Teacher at Minah Sachs PS, explained:

"The purpose of the day was to encourage our learners to read, spell, and have fun with our language. We want them to realize that they can study in their mother tongue and still excel. This event is also about raising awareness among parents and the community about the importance of preserving our language."

Dr. Seth Eiseb, a Khoekhoegowab teacher, emphasized the importance of early language education:

"We're concerned that Khoekhoegowab is dying out. If we don’t act now, especially at the foundational stages from Grade 0 to Grade 3, we risk losing our language. This platform allows learners to understand the value of their mother tongue and the need to preserve it as part of their cultural heritage."

Khoekhoegowab teachers are calling on the community to support indigenous languages, warning that they are at risk of extinction.

Reginald Thomas, a Khoekhoegowab teacher at J.A. Nel Secondary School, expressed his hopes for the future:

"We are grateful to Minah Sach for starting this spelling bee. We need to expand this initiative to other schools, including high schools, and build from there. Today, we invested in our children and their cultural heritage."

Learners who participated in the competition received prizes and certificates of recognition, with the school hoping to make the event an annual tradition.