Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698834457601.pdf (Namibia)
REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE (MoEAC) Budget Motivation Statement , ;:~"-'" .... , ..~'.

VOTE 10 .

2018/20.19 Financial Year Tabled in the 'National Assembly By Honorable Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, MP Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Monday, 76 APRIL 207~ .

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1 Honorable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee, Honor~bleMembers of this August House, 1.
I rise once again with a great sense of gratitude to introduce the budget allocation for Vote 10, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) for the financial year 2018/19 to this August House for support and approval.

2.
2.

Let me take this opportunity to first recognize and acknowledge the efforts of the Minister of Finance, Honorable Calle Schlettwein and his team for the outstanding work and continuing efforts in steering the Namibian Economy in a positive direction in this difficult economic environment we find ourselves in.

Your efforts Comrade Minister, are significant noticeable and highly appreciated.

3.
3.

The reduction of the budget deficit by a cumulative 3 percent over the past two financial years and the reduction of non- interest Government Expenditures from N$61 billion in 2017/18 to N$58.5 billion in the 2018/19 financial year, as previously stated by Hon.

Schlettwein is indeed a significant and notable achievement to lead ustowards fiscal sustainability.
2 Thisof course would not be possible without the implementation of strict fiscal discipline, thus I pledge my Ministry's full support for a gradual FiscalConsolidation Strategy over the Medium Term Plan.

4.
4.

The budget allocation of Thirteen Billion, Four Hundred and Eighty Three Million and Sixty Five Thousand, Namibian Dollars (N$13 483 065 000) from a Twelve Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty Tree Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Two Thousand Namibian Dollars (N$12 963 332 000) in the 2017/18 financial year, represent a 4 percent increase.

5.
5.

The Operational Budget allocation is Twelve Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty Three Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand Namibian Dollars (N$12 823 279 ODD, a slight increase of 2 percent from Twelve Billion, Four Hundred and Fifty Three Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand Namibian Dollars (N$12 453 736 000) in the 2017/18 financial year.

6.
6.

The Development Budget has increased by 29 percent to Six Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand Namibian Dollars (N$659 786 ODD), when compared to 2017/18 financial year.

7.
The budget will be executed through our six key programmes as depicted in the table below: 3 'N$OOO PROGRAMME Policy Coordination Services 2018/19 2019/2020 2020/2021 and Support 284648 242384 256401 Pre-primary Education 202572 208647 214908 Primary Education 8331 515 8506187 8610747 Secondary Education 4098293 4057034 4007012 Information, Learning Adult and Lifelong 563879 586798 578829 HIV/ AIDS Management Unit 2 158 2220 2284 TOTAL 13483065 13603270 13670181 Honorable Chairperson, Honorable Members, 8.
Allow me to highlight some of the key prioritiesfor implementation during the 2018/19 budget year in addition to other ongoing Ministerialprogrammes: 8.1 The largest portion of the 2018/19 budget allocation to our Ministry;79 percent goes towards the defrayal of staff salaries and allowances.

This has been a recurring trend over the years and isinevitable given the current rate of increase in the demand for teachers which isat 3 percent annually.
4 8.2 I am aware of the directives from Cabinet and the Office of the Prime Minister regarding efforts to reduce the Government wage bill.

Thesedirectives only serve to affirm what our Ministryhas already been doing in this regard.

We have intensified our efforts centrally and regionally to ensure full adherence to such directives.
Our Regional Directorates are in the process to assessteaching staff compliments at schools, re-assigning teachers from overstaffed to understaffed schools, while the revision of the Post ProvisioningNormsisplanned during thisfinancial year.

There is however stilla need to recruit additional teachers as a result of increase in the learner enrolment numbers as well as curriculum changes.

I thus request for leniency in the recruitment of teaching staff.
8.3 Efficiencies in payroll administration, continue to be a critical priority and will be ensured through the annual payroll verification exercises.

8.4 The curriculum reforms for the basic education were informed by the Cabinet Directives based on the outcomes of the National Conference on Education held of 27 June to 01 July 2011.

After consolidation of all the input from the public, the then Ministry of Education tabled the curriculum reforms in Cabinet.
5 Allow me Honorable members to briefly talk about the curriculum reform.

8.5 Cabinet approved the curriculum reforms for basic education and the eight-year implementation plan as per Cabinet directive 3rd/25.

03.14/001.

The following are major changes in the curriculum for the basic education: • The grade 4 isno longer part of the junior primary phase.

It is now part of the senior primary phase.


The Junior Primary Phase consistsof pre-primary and Grade 1 to 3, while Senior Primary Phase consistsof Grade 4-7.

These changes and the revised curriculum for the Junior and Senior Primary Phaseswere implemented in 2015and 2016respectively.

• The Junior Secondary Phase consistsof only two grades: Grade 8 and 9.

Thischange and the revised curriculum for Grade 8 and 9 have been implemented in 2017and 2018 respectively.
• The pre-vocational/technical subjects have been included in the school curriculum in the primary and secondary phases.

• The Basic Pre-Vocational Skills Course has been developed to cater for learners with special educational 6 needs including learning difficulties as well as those with a range of disabilities.
• The grade 10 external examinations will be discontinued as from 2019, because the Junior Secondary Certificate which is obtained after writing the grade 10 external examinations is no longer in demand as most of the job entries require a SeniorSecondary Certificate.

In addition, the Ministryplans to: (a) reduce the high dropout rate at the end of junior secondary phase; and (b) improve access to seniorsecondary education.
• Semi-external examinations will be written at the end of grade 9 to ensure consistency of learning standards across the regions.

Learnerswill be tested to make sure that they meet subject competencies at a similar level before they progressto the senior secondary phase.

This change will be implemented in thisyear, 2018.

• Major curriculum changes have been made in the senior secondary curriculum in order to align the Namibian secondary school curriculum with international standards.
The Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO)level qualification has been strengthened to be aligned with the current curriculum standards (academic demands) of the International General Certificate of 7 Secondary Education (IGCSE), an international qualification.

8.6 The Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Higher (NSSCH) level qualification is benchmarked against the Higher International General Certificate of Education (HIGCSE), which is an extension of the IGCSEcurriculum.
HIGCSEis equivalent to the South African Matric (Higher Grade), taken in year 12 of the school education.

However, HIGCSEhas been phased out.

NSSCHhas been offered in parallel with NSSCOcurriculum in the Namibian classrooms.

Honorable Chairperson Honorable Members 9.

Lack of targeted funding for reform implementation has been seen as the biggest stumbling block, and has contributed to over-spending over the years.

10.
Forthe 2018/19financial year therefore, the Ministryhas set aside funds for the implementation of the Basic Education Curriculum, especially for Grade lOin 2019as follows: - Sixty Million (N$60 000 000) is allocated to construction of additional classrooms; 8 - Fifty Eight Million (N$58 ODD ODD) to the Grade 10 and 11 textbooks procurement; Twenty Million (N$2D ODD000) to teacher training; - Seventy Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty (N$76960) to the secondary school principal training; - Nine hundred Seventy Six Thousand and Eight Hundred (N$976800) for the evaluation of textbooks for Grade 10 and 11); - Thirteen Million, Six hundred and Forty Thousand (N$ 73 640 ODD) for science consumables; - Ten Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Nine, and One Hundred and Eighty Four (N$ 70 369 784) to the live paper setting workshops for new NSSCOnational examinations - One Million, Six Hundred and Eleven, and Five Hundred (N$ 7 61 7 SOD ODD) to the Namibian Senior Secondary Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS)level syllabus development.
- The budgetary allocations for additional teachers required will be finalized after analysis of the availability of teachers in the senior secondary phase.

11.

In addressing the challenge of retaining trained Literacy Promoters due to their short contractual obligation and in search of greener pastures, 530 new family literacy promoters will be trained to carry out regional mobilization to create awareness of adult education programmes.

9 12.
9 12.

Upgrading, renovation and construction of education physical facilities, while strengthening monitoring of ongoing capital projects to ensure timely completion of such, remain a priority to the Ministry.

To this end, about N$ 750 million Namibian Dollarshas been allocated in addition to the Ministry's budget for the Accelerated School Infrastructure Programme over the MTEF period.

Honorable Chairperson Honorable Members 13.


The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture was established to provide quality, accessible and inclusive education aimed at preparing the Namibian child to become a productive citizen in the future as outlined in the National Development Plan Five (NDP 5) and the Vision 2030.

I must mention however that the Ministry, faces many challenges in trying to fulfil its purpose for existence.

14.
14.

The Ministryis responsible for more than Seven Hundred and Fifty Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and FortyThree (755,943) learners, in 1,883schools who are taught by 28, 688 teachers, according 10 to the Education Management Information System(EMIS),2018- FifteenthSchool Day Statistics.

15.

It is worth noting that between 2017 and 2018 academic years learner enrolment significantly increased by more than Thirty Three Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety Five (33, 695).
This growth means that the Ministry needs to provide more classroomsto accommodate the growing number of learners.

Equally, learners need sitting and writing places, textbooks and exercise books, as well as other commodities that will make teaching and learning successful.

Most importantly, learners need qualified and caring teachers who will mentor and mould them.

16.
16.

The budget revision since the introduction of the Fiscal Consolidation strategy could be felt mostly during the execution of the 2017/18 budget especially in regions where servicessuch as hostel catering and utilities were terminated due to non- payment.

The worst cases were when learners were sent home from hostels since meals could not be provided or electricity serviceswere discontinued.

Honorable Chairperson; Honorable Members 11 17.


Allow me, to highlight some Ministerial achievements and challenges for the year 2017/18 in terms of the three pillars of Access, Equity and Quality.

Achievements: 17.1 Access to Education (i) Our EMISdata for 2017,showsthat enrolment in pre-primary increase from 41,091in 2016 to 41,743 in 2017, while in 2017, a total number of 518,103 learnerswere enrolled in Grades 1 to 7 primary education phase indicating an increase with 63 256 learners.
In 2017, the number of learners enrolled at the secondary phase country wide were 202 252 in a total of 695 schools, of which 8.2%of these schools are private and provide education for 5.2%of the learners.

The implementations of the Universal Primary Education since 2012 as well as the Secondary Education Grants in 2016 have led to a drastic increase in number of learnersattending.

i.

The National Arts Fund was created by an Act of Parliament, Act No.
1 of 2005 and makes provision for the establishment of a Council, composed of representatives from society with expertise in the arts and culture, education, community development, public service, non - profit and private sectors, to administer the Fund; The Fund is a state programme, with a mission to develop, support and grow Namibian arts through various means, but 12 mainly through the provision of funding for art projects and awarding of bursaries,as well as support towards education and regional art development initiatives.
Forthe current cycle of project funding, 57 applications out of 178 were successfully selected for the a bursary amount of N$l,379,367.00to study arts at local and international tertiary institutions.TheNACN has also established partnerships with 9 Arts organizations with which it has signed memoranda of understanding worth N$l,672,600.00; ii.
Classroom construction, the number of permanent classrooms has also increased from 8,416 in 1992 to 25,050 in 2017 academic year, representing a significant development in this aspect.

However, there is still a significant number of non- permanent structures prevalent across the country.

A total of 105 additional pre-primary classrooms are in the process of being constructed at a cost of Fifty Three Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Namibian Dollars (N$53550000); iii.
A total of 25,862 adults were enrolled in basic and post basic literacy programmes.

Out of this number 16,691 successfully completed their programmes.

77.2 Equity in education i.

The provision of the school feeding programme has reached more beneficiaries over the years.

The school-feeding programme has expanded from feeding 500learnersin 1991to 13 just over 365 000 in 2017.
It has been observed that school- feeding programme is a strong incentive to attract children to attend school, especially those from poor family backgrounds; jj.

There is a great achievement as far as learner-teacher and learner textbook ratios.

The learner-teacher ratio is quite high.

In 2016, the learner-teacher was 21:1, while the learner textbook ratio was 1:2.

This remain relatively the same this year, 2018.


However, with the implementation of the new curriculum the learner-textbook ratio is envisaged to change due to the fact that the Ministry puts strong emphasis on curriculum compliant textbooks; 17.2 Quality i.

The Namibian curriculum for Basic Education has been impressive.
The comments of the Presidential Commission (1999) on the first curriculum for the Basic Education after independence said that Namibia /s learner-centred curriculum is widely admired and acknowledged even beyond our botdets'.
The World Bank's analysis of the Namibian localized curriculum for basic education found out that "the skills and competencies in the curriculum reflect to which extent literature identifies competencies required for effective functioning in a knowledge-based economy (2005) ,/ 14 Just to reiterate what I mentioned earlier that the revised curriculum for Grade 9 is being implemented this year, (2018).
The implementation of the senior secondary revised curriculum will take place as follows: Grade lOin 2019, Grade 11 in 2020 and Grade 12in 2021; ii.

A comprehensive review and development of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO)level syllabi have started since 2016 and all the syllabi are envisaged to be completed by end of May 2018; ill.

The monitoring of training of primary school principals on the promotion policy has been completed.
77% of teachers indicated that the promotion policy is implemented in a consistent manner at their schools; iv.

The monitoring of the implementation of the pre- vocational/technical subjects in the fourteen schools (in Grade 8) has been completed.

Nine out of fourteen schools are fully equipped with tools and necessary equipment while sixschoolsneed additional resources.
Honorable Chairperson, Honorable Members, v. The resultsshow that in 2017/18 financial year 39.3%of the candidates met the University Admission requirement compared to 36.8%, the previous year, indicating an improvement of 2.5%.

15 In addition to that, overall performance of the learnersshow better outcomes at quality grades.
With the interventions of supplying lab equipment and learning support materials in addition to the conference that was held, the performance of candidates obtaining quality grades (A*-D) also improved .with 1.1% in Biology.

17.4 Challenges in budget execution of 2017/18financial year: i.
The implementation of the NSSCOcurriculum has brought about costs for additional needs for more infrastructure development (additional classrooms, laboratories and renovation of existing laboratories and classrooms) and equipment for pre-vocational/technical subjects.

The costs for the curriculum development process cannot be underestimated; ii.
All the curriculum development activities such as syllabus development, development of curriculum support materials including textbooks, evaluation of curriculum support materials, induction of teachers, education officers and school principals, printing, production and distribution of syllabi and other curriculum materials, need substantive funding; iii.
Although evidence shows that Namibia has made considerable progress towards achieving UniversalPrimary 16 Education (UPE)and UniversalSecondary Education (USE)in terms of access, high repetition, drop-out rates and survival rates in primary education remain a challenge; iv.
The lack of creating and filling critical teacher positions, in the absence of an allocated budget, has seriousnegative implications on the workload of teachers in our schools, classroom management and the quality of educational outcomes.

v. Another challenge experienced in the sector is the poor image of the profession in pre-primary and junior primary.
Improving school leadership and supervision through capacitated school principals and inspectors of education as well as community involvement by trained school board members need to expand from small pilot interventions to a national programme.

vi.

Access to pre-primary education is not at a desirable level with lessthan 50%of grade one learnersever attending pre- primary education.

vii.
vii.

Insufficientbudget for pre-primary education and insufficient number of qualified teachers for pre-primary education also pose a challenge.

Despitethe increase in student enrolment, UNAM continues to experience difficulty in attracting students to the pre-primary and junior primary specialization, 17 where the biggest needs are in terms of demand for qualified teachers; viii.
The Namibia School Feeding Programme has inadequate staff in the regions resulting in periodic poor logistic management as well as poor community involvement in the NSFPmatters at school level; ix.

Access to both special classesand special schoolshas been limited due to the shortage of places.

To date there are only 10 speclcl schools in the country that are classified as: schools for learners with intellectually impaired, visually and hearing impaired and learning difficulties.
Learners with disabilitiesacross all grades also face barriersto education, due to lack of, inter alia, qualified inclusive education teachers, disability-friendly infrastructure, teaching and learning materials and assistivetechnologies; x.

Lack of discipline, violence, teenage pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse pose challenges to the education sector; xi.

Performance of learners in English remains poor.


The notional average of candidates obtaining 0 and better grades in NSSCOlevel remains at 29.8% in 2017/18 with a slight improvement of 1.8% from 2016/17.

New strategies have been developed and a mini-research was also commissioned to get to the bottom of this situation and to remedy the situation over the next two years; 18 xii.
Difficultiesin retaining trained Literacy Promotersdue to their short contractual obligation as they leave the literacy programme in search of greener pastures.

Thisnecessitates the recruitment and training of new Promoterseach year to ensure quality delivery at the classroomlevel.

xiii.

The slow trend of infrastructure development and rehabilitation remains a concern as about 85% of infrastructure are in a state of disrepair.

In addition, we have a prevailing shortage of classroomsacrossall regions.
Honorable Chairperson Honorable Members 18.

Having highlighted the above, I am aware that my motivation did not detail programme descriptions and activities but I urge all members of this House to refer to the MTEF document where these details are incorporated for your comprehension.

I am looking forward to the already existing support we receive from the various stakeholdersand in particular our Development Partners and appeal them to continue supporting us in the fulfilment of our mandate.
I also wish to appeal for more support through the project we have launched in November 2017, the Friends of Education Special Initiative, (FENSI).I must also thank all those that have so 19 far assisted us in many different ways and in particular to those who have pledged their support to our initiatives.
With these few words, Honorable Chairperson and Honorable Members, I ask for support and approval of Vote 10 to the value of Thirteen Billion, Four Hundred and Eighty Three Million and Sixty Five Thousand, Namibian Dol/ars eN$13 483 065 000) I Thank You.

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