Licensing of teachers mooted
• Teaching not regulated
The conference has seen several delegates from across the SADC region congregating under the theme 'Transforming education in Africa: Teachers, teaching and the teaching profession'.
The 10th Africa teaching and learning conference kicked off at Mercure Hotel in Windhoek yesterday and will conclude today.
Hosted by the education ministry, in collaboration with the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities, the summit has seen several delegates from across the SADC region congregating under the theme ‘Transforming education in Africa: Teachers, teaching and the teaching profession'.
During his welcoming speech, Nantu acting president Daniel Humbu said the conference serves as a platform for an open dialogue for teachers and educators throughout Africa.
"This conference will further produce ministerial commitment that will guide the teaching profession during the next 12 months.”
He added that the summit “could not have come at a better time for Namibia”.
“As a young democracy, it is pivotal for us to create an essential body of teachers where we will learn from only the best parties internationally," Humbu said.
According to him, the union and the ministry have undertaken nationwide consultation to establish this regulatory body.
"Unfortunately, as many ventures that started with growing pains, our consultations also stepped on some thorns pertaining to the legal framework.”
There is a general concern among teachers that a professional body and issues with licencing will affect job security, he said.
Despite this, Humbu said the union is considering the mobilisation of a substantial number of educators for the establishment of the body.
Not regulated
Deputy education minister Faustina Caley said teaching is not regulated in Namibia as there is no legal framework monitoring the profession, making the development of new policies difficult.
"The result encountered is neither up to standard, nor conforming to norms of performance. The teachers' ability to benchmark with teachers within the region or beyond is not possible as long as these educators are not perceived as professionals," she said.
This is the second time in 13 years Namibia will be hosting the teaching conference. The first time was in 2015.
"The 2011 national conference on education recommended, amongst other things, the review of the national curriculum to respond to the challenges and needs of the Namibian society and improve teaching standards.
“In addition, it recommended the formation of a professional council for teachers. In the [following] years, the ministry - with assistance from Finland and Unesco - drafted an educator policy which leaned on the generic Unesco teacher policy, which also ultimately aimed to regulate the teaching profession," Caley said.
The deputy minister added that these recommendations are crucial as the main goal of the policy is to ensure that educators take personal responsibility to sustain and improve the quality of their professional careers and "maintain the highest standard of teaching and learning for the Namibian citizen".
Hosted by the education ministry, in collaboration with the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities, the summit has seen several delegates from across the SADC region congregating under the theme ‘Transforming education in Africa: Teachers, teaching and the teaching profession'.
During his welcoming speech, Nantu acting president Daniel Humbu said the conference serves as a platform for an open dialogue for teachers and educators throughout Africa.
"This conference will further produce ministerial commitment that will guide the teaching profession during the next 12 months.”
He added that the summit “could not have come at a better time for Namibia”.
“As a young democracy, it is pivotal for us to create an essential body of teachers where we will learn from only the best parties internationally," Humbu said.
According to him, the union and the ministry have undertaken nationwide consultation to establish this regulatory body.
"Unfortunately, as many ventures that started with growing pains, our consultations also stepped on some thorns pertaining to the legal framework.”
There is a general concern among teachers that a professional body and issues with licencing will affect job security, he said.
Despite this, Humbu said the union is considering the mobilisation of a substantial number of educators for the establishment of the body.
Not regulated
Deputy education minister Faustina Caley said teaching is not regulated in Namibia as there is no legal framework monitoring the profession, making the development of new policies difficult.
"The result encountered is neither up to standard, nor conforming to norms of performance. The teachers' ability to benchmark with teachers within the region or beyond is not possible as long as these educators are not perceived as professionals," she said.
This is the second time in 13 years Namibia will be hosting the teaching conference. The first time was in 2015.
"The 2011 national conference on education recommended, amongst other things, the review of the national curriculum to respond to the challenges and needs of the Namibian society and improve teaching standards.
“In addition, it recommended the formation of a professional council for teachers. In the [following] years, the ministry - with assistance from Finland and Unesco - drafted an educator policy which leaned on the generic Unesco teacher policy, which also ultimately aimed to regulate the teaching profession," Caley said.
The deputy minister added that these recommendations are crucial as the main goal of the policy is to ensure that educators take personal responsibility to sustain and improve the quality of their professional careers and "maintain the highest standard of teaching and learning for the Namibian citizen".
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