Education stakeholders in the Okakarara Constituency want 2023 to be a year to address indiscipline and promote community involvement in the education of children.

They expressed these sentiments at a motivational night after schools in the area recorded less than 40 learners pass rate last year.

Okakarara Primary School's Head of Department Samo Mbapaha stressed the need for teachers to change teaching approaches and be innovative.

"Okakarara Primary School today's teachers are better equipped technologically and linguistically but the teacher's lack of commitment towards education is one of the greatest hiccups that we have. The undesirable use of cell phones during teaching times, in other words, time management is poorly utilized. The managers in schools are well equipped with monitoring tools and reprimanding tools but they are just on paper."

Nickolaus Katombera , Head of the Department wants principals to be in charge of schools.

"The responsibility of stewardship or driving that bus, the bus carrying very important people, the Namibian child. We need to drive the bus as if there is no tomorrow. They say it all lies in the leadership of a given school for that school to succeed or fail. A clarion call to dear parents is that your presence in the education of your children will mean a lot to them." 

Also speaking at the event was Otjozondjupa Regional Governor, James Uerikua.

" We also noticed that there are teachers who don't understand the curriculum to start with. Examples were given by the Department of Education today, that some teachers need to be referred back for them to go relook and understand and acquaint themselves, familiarize themselves with the curriculum. So, that alone indicates to you that it is one of the factors that we have to look into."

And this is what some learners had to say.

" All I need to say to you teachers and school board members is a big thank you. You have been helping us, pulling us in the right way, and making us take the right path. For now, we don't need anything from you but to prove that we can make it this year." 

"I was a little bit naughty and I had a lot of friends but now for this year I will choose three friends and the fourth friend for this year will be my books." 

"In Osire we were 42 learners in Grade 11 but when the results came out, only five of us performed and only four of us qualified.  If you go to Osire, you can ask about the behavior of learners, our new principal is a witness, and behavior also matters in your qualification and performance. "