Appoint more life science teachers

The nation is faced with multiple social evils that continue to rise. The media reports on murder, suicide, rape, baby dumbing, unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, etc on a daily basis. These social evils are often committed by youth towards fellow youth and other members of society. A number of governmental and non-governmental organizations have raised their concerns on these social evils. Some of these organizations have made suggestions on how to curb these social evils.
The SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) is equally worried about this very disturbing social status of our nation.  The youth league acknowledges and respects the contributions of various stakeholders on the different social challenges as identified earlier. The SPYL Education, Sport and Culture desk understands that education should not only focus on subject content but also on the molding and upbringing of Namibia’s young people to become constructive members of society. In that vein, the subject of Life Skills should be seen as central in educational institutions, particularly schools.
The youth league salutes the budget availed to recruit Life Skills (Grade 5 – 12) teachers for all the schools. These teachers play a very important role in the lives of learners, as they are, amongst others, responsible to guide learners with their career choices, give counselling, and instil acceptable levels of discipline including the crucial aspect of human development. The role of the life skills teacher is thus to educate and transform the mindset to fight social evils.
SPYL is however highly worried about the high requirements set for this teaching post (fully conscious of its importance). The requirements are: teacher professional qualification with 5 years teaching experience. Will the experience of teaching five years be a realistic one?
Considering the number of graduates in the field of Psychology and Counselling, though not trained teachers as such, but however finds it too challenging to enter, SPYL suggest that these requirements be soften so that more schools can have these posts filled and more learners can benefit from the syllabus and the teachers’ counselling. At present the majority of schools in rural areas have no full-time life skills teachers. SPYL also suggests that the ministry develops a platform  to [contact] the graduates that can then be assigned to the regions or circuit offices to assist with training of more teachers to be equipped with knowledge and skills. SPYL believes that the return of the allocated funds to the treasury account indicates the failure of filling the posts for life skills in the respective schools.
Hon David Namwandi and his team must seriously revisit these requirements and ease them. Life skills are not taught effectively in the majority of the schools as the posts are not filled.
It might just reduce the number of rapes, suicides, baby dumping, murders, amongst others.
Menthel Links
SPYL Secretary for Education, Sport and Culture