Nghipondoka says schools must demolish dilapidated buildings

ONYAANYA: The Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Ngipondoka said schools should demolish dilapidated buildings at their schools before they cause harm to learners and staff.

Nghipondoka said this in an interview with Nampa on Friday after observing Ihongo Combined School in Onyaanya circuit in the Oshikoto Region, which was established in 1925 by Finnish missionaries, having two building blocks with six classrooms that are dilapidated completely.

‘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 said.

Nghipondoka also raised concern about teachers and learners failing to adapt to the new curriculum.

‘Our teachers must leave the old curriculum of memorising and shift to the new curriculum to improve the results of our Grade 11 learners,’ she said.

She said learners who rely on memorising word by word will not get anything from the new curriculum.

Nghipondoka also motivated learners to assess
their performance and come back stronger and smarter next year.

‘You must ask yourself why did I not pass well, is it because I do not listen very well when the teacher is teaching or I do not hear the teachers when they are teaching,’ said Ngipondoka.

She further added that teachers should also think of the percentages they have accomplished and assess where they need improvement.

‘The end of the year is always a time of reflection, where did I do well and where did I do wrong and how do I improve because life is forever all about improvement, you must go and reflect on where you did not do well,’ she said.

She encouraged teachers to help the younger learners by reflecting on their behalf for them.

‘Our teachers must point fingers at themselves but not at learners because we are carrying accountability of our learners,’ Nghipondoka said.

She mentioned several reflections that are supposed to take place at the school level to improve learners’ performance.

‘Imagine a learner is failing Oshindonga in cl
ass, is it us teachers or learners? It is us unless the learners have learning difficulties, but then I must do referrals to the hospital or social worker for people to go and help the learners,’ said Nghipondoka.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency