High failure rate, growing unemployment concern Nanso
The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has raised concerns over the staggering amount of learners who did not qualify for tertiary education and advanced subsidiary (AS) level for the year, pointing at a possible increase in the unemployment rate.
"While the [examination results] announcement offers some hope, particularly considering that a large majority of candidates who wrote last year's examinations must have been in grade eight when Covid-19 first broke in Namibia, we remain concerned that the performance of learners at Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate [NSSC] ordinary and AS level continues to underscore the persisting crisis in basic education, which demands our continued attention, critical analysis and concerted effort,” Nanso president Lucia Ndishishi said during the organisation's student council meeting last week.
“The real context is that tens of thousands of learners, particularly considering Namibia's socio-economic inequalities, face the prospect of never going back to school, never becoming employable and never making it out of the margins of our economy.”
The pass rate increased by 3.8%, compared to 2022.
Utmost urgency
The organisation suggested that the education ministry retain over 30 000 learners, who did not qualify, in the education system.
"The nearly 30 000 NSSCO candidates who will not progress to AS level or institutions of higher education must be retained in the formal education system, at full-time centres, and permitted to rewrite their examinations with the purview of improving their results and allowing them an opportunity to progress in the following year," Ndishishi said.
In addition, Nanso urged the government to increase the funding allocated to the procurement of stationery and ensure strict accountability from teachers.
For the 2024/2025 financial year, the government availed N$111 million for stationery, to be divided among Namibia's 14 regions.
"While the [examination results] announcement offers some hope, particularly considering that a large majority of candidates who wrote last year's examinations must have been in grade eight when Covid-19 first broke in Namibia, we remain concerned that the performance of learners at Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate [NSSC] ordinary and AS level continues to underscore the persisting crisis in basic education, which demands our continued attention, critical analysis and concerted effort,” Nanso president Lucia Ndishishi said during the organisation's student council meeting last week.
“The real context is that tens of thousands of learners, particularly considering Namibia's socio-economic inequalities, face the prospect of never going back to school, never becoming employable and never making it out of the margins of our economy.”
The pass rate increased by 3.8%, compared to 2022.
Utmost urgency
The organisation suggested that the education ministry retain over 30 000 learners, who did not qualify, in the education system.
"The nearly 30 000 NSSCO candidates who will not progress to AS level or institutions of higher education must be retained in the formal education system, at full-time centres, and permitted to rewrite their examinations with the purview of improving their results and allowing them an opportunity to progress in the following year," Ndishishi said.
In addition, Nanso urged the government to increase the funding allocated to the procurement of stationery and ensure strict accountability from teachers.
For the 2024/2025 financial year, the government availed N$111 million for stationery, to be divided among Namibia's 14 regions.
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Namibian Sun
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