Windhoek: The Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) has raised concerns over the absence of performance statistics for special schools in the recently released Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level examination results for 2024.
According to Namibia Press Agency, NANSO President, Dorthea Nangolo, highlighted the urgent need for more attention to special education in Namibia during a media briefing held in the capital on Friday. Nangolo pointed out that while the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture had reported slight improvements in overall learner performance, the exclusion of data on special schools indicated a neglect of learners with disabilities.
“The performance of special schools is conspicuously absent from the statistics, raising critical questions. Are these schools excluded from offering Ordinary and AS Levels? If not, why is their performance not specifically highlighted?” she questioned, noting that the omission reflects a lack of prioritization of special education in Namibia’s educational framework.
Nangolo urged the ministry to provide a comprehensive breakdown of special schools’ performance and to ensure that learners with disabilities are not neglected. She also advocated for tailored interventions and equitable resource distribution to enhance educational outcomes for students in special schools.
“Education is a shared public good, and it is the government’s critical responsibility to ensure no learner is left behind,” she stated.
Nangolo concluded by reaffirming NANSO’s commitment to advocating for equitable education and ensuring that all learners, including those in special schools, receive the necessary support to succeed.
