Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Sanet Steenkamp has expressed concern over the Oshana Region's poor performance at the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Advance Subsidiary, NSSCAS level.

The region was ranked 14th.

Speaking at the Oshana Education Indaba at Ongwediva, Steenkamp called for urgent and concerted efforts to improve academic results. 

Dr. Steenkamp described the ranking as a serious concern that requires immediate intervention, urging school principals to establish performance dialogues with teachers to identify the causes of poor results.

She emphasised that the ultimate goal should be to ensure that every Namibian child receives quality education and the 

The minister says children should not pass through the education system without acquiring the foundation they need to succeed.

"All of us have seen with great dismay the results of the Oshana region, and no one of us is proud of these results. We are not proud of the results, not myself, not the governor, not the director, and none of us is stilling here. We are not proud. We have to really look deeply and say, 'If we are not proud of the result, what is that? We are missing what? What is that? We are doing wrong? What is that? We are not doing at all. What must we do differently? "

She says 93% of secondary school teachers and 97% of teachers in primary schools are fully qualified, raising even more concern about the outcome of the results.

" Honourable Governor, we stand with you today not to proportionate blame, but we have joined you to carry with you the ownership of taking a new direction, a purpose-driven direction. To say we are there, we take full ownership; we are improving, not that we are going to improve, we are improving."

Oshana Governor Hofni Iipinge says performance of schools is not only the responsibility of teachers and principals alone but parents must take the responsibility for the education and disciple of their children.

"Community leaders must help create environment conductive to learning. The private sector must recognise education as an investment in the future workforce and economic development of our region. Equally our learners must understand that education in an opportunity that comes with responsibility, commitment and discipline."

The education indaba was held under the theme: "Quality and smart education for a Namibian child in Oshana."