The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture will be spending about N$16,2 billion on operational expenses for the 2023/24 financial year out of about N$16,8 billion allocated to the ministry through the national budget.
Minister of education, arts and culture Anna Nghipondoka says 79,7% of this amount is spent on paying staff members’ salaries, leaving only 20% for school grants, textbooks, stationery and infrastructure development.
“Our operational budget allocation, which stands at about N$16,2 billion, takes up 96,6% of our total allocation, of which the bulk (79,7%), goes towards the defrayal of personnel expenditure, thus leaving only about 20% for other operational expenditures.
“The development budget allocation of N$577 million is 3,4% of the total budget allocation to the ministry and will mainly cover ongoing commitments, primarily on the rehabilitation and construction of education facilities,” the minister says.
Nghipondoka, however, believes the 20% and the N$577 million development budget, which constitutes 3,4% of the total budget allocation to the ministry, will be able to bring about transformation in the education sector.
“Our allocation constitutes 22,5% of the national budget. It thus remains high when compared to the allocation of countries in the eastern and southern African region (Esar). Therefore, we believe it will contribute to our commitment concerning the transforming education agenda,” the minister says.
Nghipondoka said this at Keetmanshoop on Wednesday during the ministry’s regional consultation meeting with the //Kharas regional education directorate, principals and heads of departments to provide information on the ministry’s immediate interventions to improve performance at all levels through the regional performance improvement strategies (RPIS).
The RPIS were established in light of the poor national examination results for ordinary and advanced subsidiary level pupils in 2022, which resulted in a national outcry.
These priority areas would, however, have to fight it out in the remaining 20% of resource allocation and the development budget.
The ministry highlighted inadequate education facilities, including the absence of or poorly resourced libraries/information centres and designated science labs, leading to the deprivation of sources of learning for both teachers and pupils.
Listed are also weak monitoring and evaluation at classroom, school, circuit, regional office and head office level, leading to eroding discipline among pupils and teachers, poor leadership and management at schools, and a lack of performance culture, Nghipondoka said.
Other challenges are a lack of support for teachers, resulting in inadequate teaching and learning aids, such as tools and equipment, chemicals, textbooks and computers, while some teachers are teaching subjects which are not in their field, Nghipondoka said.
“It should be acknow-ledged that more specific interventions may be necessary following the finalisation of the comprehensive regional and school-specific diagnosis of the root causes of the weak results,” the minister said.
The ministry has budgeted N$255 million to construct 510 classrooms and 70 ablution blocks over the next three months, N$14 million for teaching and learning, and about N$88,8 million for stationery.
N$184,9 million has been allocated for school grants.
“As of the end of 2022, the total number of classrooms needed across the country stood at over 4 000. What is worrying is that regions have classroom needs, but when projects are allocated to regions, there are always delays and bureaucracy from our officials in getting these projects off the ground.
“A case in point is that some regions still haven’t completed their Covid-19 projects – something which leaves a bitter taste in my mouth,” Nghipondoka said.
N$40 million has been budgeted for textbooks and N$30 million for IT equipment, including interactive touchscreens for the new AS level schools and smart TVs for some primary and secondary schools,” said the minister.
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