SWAKOPMUND: Teachers in the Erongo Region demanded that they should be set free from administration work and only focus on Preparation Presentation Assessment (PPA).

The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) President, Mahongora Kavihuha, stated that the demand for teachers to focus on the PPA system was forwarded as part of the curriculum reform proposal to the Namibia Institute of Education and development (NIED), the Erongo Regional conference in the tourist town over the weekend. Kavihuha “The details on job descriptions of the teachers should be updated, they should work on a PPA system so as to focus on being an educator,” he said.

Kavihuha outlined that the teachers should be exempted from administration responsibilities, which could be achieved, if the teachers are assigned administration clerks. “If administration clerks are appointed, the teachers will be able to concentrate on the PPA,” he noted.

Other reforms proposed at the conference included that the demands made, should be concluded and addressed by the end of this year. “This is so that next year (2013), the teachers can embark on a new path,” Kavihuha added.

TUN also proposed that concrete benefits to be added to the salary package of the teachers. This is to ease the issue of housing which has become a burden as the teachers cannot afford the prices of urban land.

Kavihuha continued to say that unions welcomed the initiative made by the Namibian Government regarding the prices of urban land, however politicians talk and talk without meaning which is pointless, “the speeches needs to become a reality,” he said.

Furthermore, taxation on bonuses as well as leave for those teachers who adopt is a cause of concern. “There should be another way by which government can generate income then making us poor by paying steep tax rates,” Kavihuha mentioned.

In addition, the issue of subject advisors judging the abilities of the teachers from files were also campaigned against. TUN urges that they (subject advisors) change their attitudes by rather being physically present and should demonstrate lessons before writing their reports.

(edited)SWAKOPMUND) – Teachers in the Erongo Region are demanding that they be ‘set free’ from administrative work, and only focus on Preparation Presentation Assessment (PPA).
This request was discussed during a regional teachers’ conference held here over the weekend.
The information-sharing conference was organised by the Teachers’ Union of Namibia (TUN), and highlighted various issues affecting teachers.

The demand for teachers to focus on the PPA system was on top of the priority list.
“The PPA system was forwarded to the Namibia Institute for Educational Development (NIED) as part of the curriculum reform proposal,” said TUN president Mahongora Kavihuha during the conference.

He explained that teachers’ job descriptions should be updated, and teachers should be exempted from administrative responsibilities, which could be achieved if teachers are assigned administration clerks.

“If administration clerks are appointed, teachers will be able to concentrate on the PPA,” he stressed. TUN also proposed that concrete benefits be added to the salary packages of teachers.
This is to ease the issue of housing, which has become a burden as teachers cannot afford the prices of urban land.

Kavihuha added that the union welcomed the initiative made by the Namibian government regarding the pricing of urban land. “However, politicians talk and talk without meaning, which is pointless. The speeches need to become a reality,” he noted.

Furthermore, taxation on bonuses is another cause of concern for teachers. “There should be another way by which Government can generate income, than making us poor by paying steep tax rates,” Kavihuha said.

It was also noted that the Education Ministry does not have special maternity leave for teachers who adopt babies. These parents also require time for the new addition to their family to adapt to the new mother’s scent.

In addition, the teachers campaigned against the issue of subject advisors judging their abilities from files. TUN requested that subject advisors change their attitude and instead be physically present and demonstrate lessons before writing their reports. Kavihuha hoped that the proposals be addressed by the end of this year so that by next year (2013), teachers can embark on a “new path”.