Africa-Press – Namibia. EDUCATION arts and culture minister Anna Nghipondoka on Friday said she is disappointed with the performance of pupils in the newly introduced advanced subsidiary level.
Speaking at the announcement of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary and Advanced Subsidiary levels (NSSCO and NSSCAS) results at Eenhana, Nghipondoka said most pupils failed because of a lack of teaching in the classrooms.
Nghipondoka said some topics were not qtaught in classrooms.
“I would like to reiterate my serious concern about these results. While cognisant of the fact that Covid-19 left a mark on the mastery of all competencies by our pupils, […] I also have clear evidence from the analysis of these results that effective and efficient quality teaching and learning have not been taking place in many of our schools,” she said.
The minister regretted the ministry’s failure to fill all vacancies for principals and heads of department positions.
She also called for prudent use of material and human resources to optimise output.
“I thus make a clarion call to all staff members of this ministry – from executive director to the last staff member. I need this year’s examiner’s report finalised before the end of January 2023, with clear identification of where syllabus misinterpretation could have gone wrong. This report should be thoroughly studied by respective regions for them to come up with targeted interventions, which should be reported on to the executive director at different intervals. These Regional Action Plans should also be informed by specific subject analysis and school plans to hold specific teachers accountable by having individual teachers’ remedial plans,” she said.
FOCUS ON QUALITY
She urged teachers to focus on improving quality.
“It is regrettable and totally unacceptable to know that at some schools/centres or in some classes, not much teaching has taken place. Evidence from marking of exam scripts revealed that 420 pupils scored a zero in mathematics paper 2. For example, we found that some pupils failed even to calculate 10% of a given amount. I ask myself, what has been happening in the classes of these pupils during their 12-year school career, ” she remarked.
Furthermore, the results show that 8 133 pupils or 24% qualified for tertiary education from the 38 019 candidates who sat for the exams.
She said the marking sessions provided clear evidence that in some subjects, some topics are not taught at all although they are prescribed in the syllabus.
“If that is happening in our schools, it must stop with immediate effect. This would also call for stronger, concrete accountability measures at all levels and structures. Time on tasks, proper planning, delivery and assessment of lessons across the syllabuses must be prioritised. I instruct that performance dialogues with teachers, principals and inspectors must be scheduled and documented, with an outcome of the remedial action plan,” she said.
She reiterated that the approved curriculum must be taught at all schools because the Directorate of National Examinations and Assessment will assess that same approved curriculum as per their mandate whether or not the pupils were taught.”
CHEATING PROBLEMS
She added that after the unprecedented leakage of question papers in some subjects last year, the ministry revisited all risk areas. All safety and security measures have been screened once again for strengthening.
“There are still some individuals and/or centres that are testing the system by not upholding and complying to the rules of national examinations, considering the number of malpractice cases that are reported. It is very disappointing to know that some individuals do not take pride in Namibian national qualifications and continue to test the system. Dishonesty and cheating during national examination sessions will not be tolerated. Dishonesty might result in the nullification/loss of marks and even the banning of candidates from writing national examinations in the future,” she said.
“Whether Namibians or non-Namibians, all of us must comply with the rules of the national examinations to protect the integrity of our national qualifications. As the authority entrusted with the approval for registration of private schools and part-time centres, the same authority is given to me to de-register any centre that does not comply with set examination-related rules and regulations and intentionally jeopardises the credibility of our national examinations. Be warned,” said Nghipondoka.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
