Education Minister Urges Demolition of Unsafe School Buildings

ONYAANYA: The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka, has called for the demolition of dilapidated school buildings to prevent potential harm to learners and staff. This directive was issued during an interview with Nampa on Friday following her visit to Ihongo Combined School in the Onyaanya circuit of the Oshikoto Region, a school originally established in 1925 by Finnish missionaries.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), the inspection of the Ihongo Combined School revealed two building blocks with six classrooms in a state of complete disrepair. She urged the regional office’s department of planning to take immediate action to address these safety concerns. “I urge the regional office’s department of planning to consider this seriously before it causes any harm to our teaching staff and learners,” Nghipondoka stated.

In addition to addressing infrastructure concerns, Nghipondoka also highlighted challenges in adapting to the new curriculum. She emphasized the need for a shift from the old curriculum, which focused on memorization, to the new curriculum to enhance the academic performance of Grade 11 learners. Nghipondoka cautioned that learners relying solely on memorization would struggle to benefit from the new curriculum.

The Education Minister also encouraged learners to self-assess their academic performance and strive for improvement in the coming year. She suggested that they reflect on their learning habits and teacher engagement to identify areas for improvement. Similarly, Nghipondoka advised teachers to conduct end-of-year reflections on their teaching effectiveness and areas needing enhancement.

Stressing the importance of teacher accountability, Nghipondoka urged educators to reflect on their contributions to student performance and not solely attribute shortcomings to the learners. She discussed the need for addressing issues like language barriers, suggesting referrals to appropriate professionals for learners with specific learning difficulties.

Through these reflections and actions, Nghipondoka aims to foster an environment of continuous improvement in Namibian schools, prioritizing both the physical safety of school facilities and the academic growth of learners and teachers.