KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY RIGHT HONOURABLE HAGE GEINGOB, PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA AT THE HARDAP EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2013, JULY 11, 2013 Director of Ceremonies; Hon. Katrina Hanse-Himarwa – Governor of the Hardap Region; Dr. David Namwandi – Minister of Education; Officials from the Ministry of Education Media Representatives; Ladies and Gentlemen; I am here primarily because of our shared concern about the poor academic performance of Grade 10 learners, and because the Governor’s Office and the Directorate of Education have joined hands to do something about it. It is therefore a pleasure and honour to address you at this historic Hardap Education Conference 2013 under the theme, Hardap Grade 10 striving for Academic Excellence. Education is a cornerstone for skills development and a priority for economic growth. It is the improvement of the living standards of our nation’s citizens. Furthermore education is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. It is one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future. It is thus, critical in reducing poverty and inequality. Education is the greatest equalizer. The impact of investment in education is profound. Education results in raising income, improving health, promoting gender equality, mitigating climate change, and reducing poverty. Education also plays a crucial role in skills development. A skilled workforce is crucial in increasing growth and productivity. It is paramount that we pay special attention to the performance of our learners. This conference therefore comes at an opportune time where we need to interrogate the issue of academic performance of our learners. Improving academic performance ultimately comes down to improving the learning experience of students in their classrooms. We find that the vast majority of interventions made to improve systems are generally focused on improving how instruction is delivered rather than on changing the content of what is delivered. Ladies and gentlemen, The changing nature of work, technology, and competition in the global job market has outpaced what our education systems can provide for students, despite ongoing efforts by educators and communities to improve our schools. We are faced with the challenge of setting priorities and goals at all levels of academia that will enable us to close the gap. Therefore we need to develop programs that ensure that we keep up with the fast pace of change and ensure that our education is competitive. Globalization and rapid technological advancements are having dramatic effects on the way we communicate and conduct business as well as in our personal lives. Therefore the education which we provide should help increase students’ understanding of the world around them. Our learners need to be taught how what they learn in class is applied in the world outside of school. Incorporating more rigorous and relevant instructions in classrooms is a realistic goal and will yield positive results in the enthusiasm of students to learn. In this instance, teachers have a key role to play as coaches and mentors. “Research shows that student motivation and attitudes towards school are closely linked to student-teacher relationships. Enthusiastic teachers are particularly good at creating beneficial relations with their students. . . . Students are likely to build stronger relations with teachers who are friendly and supportive and will show more interest in courses taught by these teachers.” These are some of the facts we need to consider when analyzing the perpetual poor performance of a large number of our Grade 10 students across the country. If we are keen to induce the culture of academic excellence in our learners then we need to ensure that we are providing them with the essential tools for success. We must understand that when students are engaged in the learning process, real achievement takes place, and their chances to excel at what they do increase. It is important that the education we provide prepares students for life and not just the next test or more school. Ladies and gentlemen, As a Government we feel that we have a responsibility to ensure that our students are trained superbly; for they, are competing in a global economy, one in which their competitors are not only from all over Africa, but from Asia, Latin America and the Middle East or what we now consider to be the emerging world. Our students must be able to compete for jobs, for positions and for careers in a very different world. We know that our students must be able to function effectively in a global workplace and a global society for their own sake and ours. We would be remiss if we did not put academic excellence and a myriad of ideas and people at their fingertips. They have to be educated and trained with one key idea as our watchword: excellence. Excellence must be at the forefront of everything that we do. This means excellence in the classrooms, excellence in the libraries, excellence in the laboratories, excellence in the studios etc. I am challenging our regional leaders and students to be at the top of their game and to be at the cutting edge of innovation and academic excellence. It is our responsibility to make sure that our young people and those going back to school do not only compete but also excel. By putting excellence into action we allow students to write scripts for their lives that are not predefined but rather, make them inquisitive and thus have an enquiring mind. Moreover education frees them to lead authentic lives, filled with family, friends, which lead into both personal and career fulfillment. If we accept our responsibility and follow through, we help create student success. I’m deeply concerned about the fact that far too many students are still failing their Grade 10 examinations. The reality in today’s world is that a young woman or man who does not complete a high school education and does not move on towards possessing a university degree is at a competitive disadvantage. It’s for this reason, among others, that we are unable to attract certain Greenfield investments and have slipped down the World Economic Forum’s Competitiveness rankings from 4 to 7. Our challenges are a great deal more than those faced by the developed countries because we not only have to move forward but also to make up for the gap that already exists. Resources are limited, there are very few teachers with science and technology education, families’ circumstances do not always allow for pro-active involvement in the children’s education. But these are the obstacles that we have to overcome for the sake of the new generation of workers and leaders, entrepreneurs and artists, teachers and engineers, doctors and technicians. Ladies and gentlemen, Under NDP 4, we have set a target to become the most competitive economy in the SADC region by 2017. That is less than four years from now. You will agree with me that we will not be able to achieve this objective if a large number of our learners are struggling to pass their Grade 10 examinations. We therefore have a responsibility to help reverse this trend. Research shows that countries with a well-educated populace have vigorous economies. Countries that have invested in higher education are seeing the fruits of that investment. We need to insure that our learners complete their high school education because without completing their high school, they can’t compete in the marketplace. To be truly competitive with other countries and regions, we need to do more. I suggest we all look at the challenge of economic growth through the lens of personal responsibility. We must put values and character development at the core of our education system. We need personal values to enable each of us to have the confidence and self-awareness, and the grit and determination to succeed. We need moral values, such as respect, responsibility, care and appreciation towards others, to guide each of us to be a socially responsible person. In particular, for the purpose of nation building, a sense of shared values and respect allows us to appreciate and celebrate our diversity, so that we stay cohesive and harmonious. We need values of citizenship. As a young nation with a short history of independence, we must have informed, rugged and resilient citizens who can stay united to overcome crisis and adversities which we must expect to happen from time-to-time, such as the current drought emergency we are experiencing. I am positive that through a united effort involving all sectors, over the next few years we will witness our education system continuing to evolve towards providing a more holistic education as well as creating multiple pathways for success for students with different inclinations and abilities. For our young learners present here today, I would like to tell you that it doesn’t matter which subjects or courses you decide to pursue. Your success will depend on your determination and discipline to do well. You must develop and nurture your talents because they will allow you to contribute back to society. As long as you have discipline in your pursuit and have the drive to succeed, you will be moving a step closer towards becoming the pillars of our economic success and stalwarts of our economic struggle. In short, Government will continue to play a major role in enhancing the quality of education for all our students. I consider this as part of my personal responsibility because I am deeply committed to the principles that I articulated just a few minutes ago, namely: academic excellence; thus, student success. As an educator myself, I believe that our road towards economic development needs to begin with academic excellence. Therefore I would like to conclude by congratulating the Governor, the Minister of Education, and the staff of the Governor’s Office and the Directorate of Education for organizing this very important conference. I thank you and may you enjoy fruitful deliberations and have a wonderful conference.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:35:23 +0000
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