Swakopmund Constituency Councillor Louisa Kativa urged parents and guardians not to label their children as failures, as it can affect the children's potential.

Kativa says the way parents or other adults label a child can have a lasting effect on how that child thinks of himself or herself.

She says when a child is called names, that becomes part of his or her identity and does more harm than good.

In an emphatic call to action, Zambezi Regional Education Director Jost Kawana is advocating for heightened parental involvement in their children's education.

Stressing its importance, he urges parents to engage actively from the outset of the academic year in January, right through to the conclusion of end-of-year examinations. Kawana emphasises the crucial role of parents, equating their responsibilities with those of teachers and education officials, and encourages them not to set any limitations on their involvement.

Parents and guardians of schoolchildren have expressed mixed emotions about the start of the new school year.

Some parents are worried about school placements, as many are still struggling to find places for their children.

On the flip side, there were those who expressed happiness and satisfaction with this year's results, noting an improvement compared to last year's performance.

With the new school year just a weekend away, parents and guardians are making last-minute preparations for their children's uniform and stationery needs.

Stores that stock stationery, school uniforms, and other necessities were packed with learners, parents, and guardians doing their last-minute shopping.

Long lines were the order of the day on Saturday as parents ensured that they bought all the required school supplies.

Stationary stores in Otjiwarongo are packed as parents busy themselves with back-to-school shopping. Stationery lists, some say, require them to dig deep into their pockets.

While last-minute shoppers wait for the last day of shopping before schools reopen, others are making sure they have everything printed on their schools' stationary lists.

Some parents of children attending school at Otjivero Combined School in the Omaheke Region have refused to send the pupils back, citing outstanding matters.

Concerned parents handed over a petition to the ministry in recent months demanding the removal of the school's principal following allegations of misuse of school funds.

The Education Inspector, Elliakim Kavari, explained that the demands made by parents were forwarded to the head office for their attention.

Parents who have registered their children at Thipanana Primary School in the Kavango East Region are calling on the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to employ more teachers at the school.

The parents claim that there is no teaching and learning taking place since the school reopened.

The school has more than 100 learners from Grades one, two and three and has been operating with one teacher since January this year.

Parents say their children go to school every day just to go and play and return home.

The parents accusing the Windhoek State Mortuary for the disappearance of their baby's body from the mortuary, have still not received any news from the relevant authorities almost two months after the incident occurred.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services' spokesperson Walter Kamaya, last week informed nbc News that the ministry is busy with investigations.

"I was briefed this morning by the head of the mortuary that investigations into this matter are being carried out. The Ministry will pronounce itself once the investigation is done" said Kamaya.

The Mayor of Swakopmund, Dina Namubes, is disappointed by the poor attendance of parents at meetings on education.

Namubes and other leaders said the poor attendance shows a lack of parental involvement in their children's education.

Half of the seats in the multipurpose hall of Mondesa Swakopmund were empty because parents did not show up in numbers at a parent's education conference.

The conference is an initiative of the Swakopmund municipality, and it was aimed at boosting collaboration with parents on the education of children.

Parents who attended the Parents' Education Conference at Swakopmund have urged their peers to instill discipline in their children at home instead of blaming teachers.