Slow execution of projects “unacceptable and sad”

The Government of Namibia has since independence, committed itself to education. This Ministry of Education receives the largest portion which is between 21% and 23% of the national budget every year.
According to the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr David Namwandi, the continuous increase in the budget allocation is an indication that there are concerns about the state of education in the country.
“Many people are questioning the output of the education system given the large amount of money allocated to this quest. Our main task now is to bring equilibrium between the funds allocated and the outcome,” he said.
Speaking at the Omusati Region Education Conference in Outapi last week Wednesday, Namwandi said that the recently concluded Public Expenditure Review revealed a disturbing mismatch between the funds allocated to the Ministry and the results it yields.
“It is high time for us to reconsider and review our budget planning and execution. It has become an unacceptable and sad practice that funds allocated for functions in the Ministry goes back to government coffers due to slow execution. How do we justify the claim for more funding in this scenario,” he questioned.
Namwandi said that it is also high time that the factors delaying expenditure against the approved budget are exposed.
“The time has come for all stakeholders to identify where they contribute to the delay and non-execution of function and devise mechanisms to accelerate budget execution processes with maximum efficiency. I am very happy that this region (Omusati region) was the first to develop and implement a Regional Performance Improvement Strategy, which has resulted in changed attitudes and the improvement of work ethics,” he added.
The Deputy Minister also reminded the teachers that the young people entrusted to them are the ones who will take Namibia into the age of the knowledge-based economy and a knowledge-based society.
He said this is a heavy responsibility – a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously and that needs to be approached with energy and insight.
“You are cultivating the future leaders of our beloved country. This task is too daunting and too important to be tackled in isolation and to be carried out by individuals, it needs all of us, together, on the same track, with equal passion and foresight and with a shared knowledge of the road map to succeed. The key to this success is quality, determination, commitment and delivery, delivery, delivery,” said Namwandi.
The two day conference ended last week,Thursday.