My last week begins today and teaching will end in only a couple days. In Namibia, national exams in all subjects take place near the end of each term. On Wednesday, the learners will begin. That means the school basically goes into shut-down mode, dedicating the upcoming weeks to exams. Makes me feel at home again almost!
During the days, I’ll be doing a few different things. I promised one class that I would bring in two types of peanut butter and have a blind taste test to see which one is better. They have done very well, so in reward, Tuesday we will have peanut butter day, they are all very excited. But it’s not just a party for the next two days. I’ll be doing exam-prep, whatever I/they feel is most critical and beneficial. I think the main area we will focus on is the extended response question.
Many learners have trouble with reading comprehension. This leads to confusing and lack luster responses. Throughout the past two months I have emphasized reading and writing in my classes. With this extra push and some response practice, I hope they will be able to perform better. I dug up a few old exams and many of the questions follow a typical format. Using topics that they can relate to, such as music or essential life necessities, I’ll have them respond to the questions, emphasizing providing examples and counter-evidence to back up an argument.
Previously, I have tested them using questions like this on my own exams. But again, they seem to have trouble comprehending and then explaining themselves in English. This gets at the point I want to briefly write about; the problems in the Namibian education system.
I won’t drone on about how bad the ministry is or the schools, because really they are improving everyday. But, there are a few glaring problems that must be fixed if Namibia wants to obtain their 2030 goal of a highly educated population. One; English must be taught at the primary level. Although, English is a second language for many, it is now the official language of Namibia. That means it should take precedent inside the language sphere of the classroom. This is happening in most grades past seven, but in the lower primary level grades, there is a minimal amount of English being taught. When the students are expected to abstractly respond on their exam questions, they fail to do so, because they just started to learn the basics of English grammar a couple years ago. If the foundation of a building is weak, it will not stand, and the same goes for language. However, if primary teachers can incorporate English into their classrooms, and for those that are, use more effective strategies, I think language will substantially improve and help the total Namibian education push.
However there are a few things. One, many primary teachers, at least at the schools I have been exposed to, cannot speak fluent English. If a teacher cannot speak the language, there is no way that they will be able to teach it. Yet, this is not completely their fault. Twenty years ago, Namibia became independent and just a few years ago, English was made the official language. During their schooling, English was merely given a glance, while Afrikaans was the major second language studied. With future generations speaking more and more English, the upcoming teachers will have a much stronger base than the current teachers, undoubtedly increasing learner language performance.
Also, I am not for a complete English domination. Oshindonga, the local language, is extremely important too. If English erases this traditional language, a serious loss of culture will take place. That should not happen, as any native culture should not be forgotten. They help make the people who they are and create the wonderful thing of diversity in this world. Oshindonga should be taught equally (splitting the language allotment 50/50) or as a second language.
Finally, as I have just mentioned, many of the current primary teachers (again, not all and at least to the schools that I have been exposed to) have a tough time with English. How can they be expected to teach it if they themselves don’t fully grasp it? They should not, but that doesn’t mean that Namibia should wait for the next generation of teachers to begin. Teacher training and education, rides right along side with learner education. The 2030 goal should include an effective teaching force, which can be obtained with more training.
These primary teachers should be made or have the option to attend training. This would help them revamp their classrooms and take a proactive approach in teaching. This should not just be for English or for primary teachers, but for all teachers. More emphasis needs to be placed on current teacher training. For example, many schools have computer labs. Great! What a trophy! But a trophy is merely a symbol. The computer lab itself shouldn’t be something to boast about. Yes, they represent modernity, technology, communication, etc. But if the lab is only a symbol for these things, it has little use. Teachers must know how to use the computers. Just like English, schools can never help their learners achieve better computer skills (which I have taken for granted and now feel very thankful for having) if the teachers and administration cannot use them. The labs should come paired with a training system. Not just some do-it-yourself software, but a face-to-face ICT instructed program. Obviously this would cost money in many different ways, but the computer labs are more of a waste in just sitting there, gathering dust. I came here to help teach ICT and was put on hold, because of the apathy and uncertainty of management. If 2030 should succeed, more effort, time, and money, needs to be put into teacher training, on many different levels.
So, if you are still reading, I apologize for this rant. If the ministry remains active, I am confident that giant steps in learning can be made. But, this is my last week, and I feel it necessary to express some of the things that take away from this education system. By doing this, I hope that people can begin to understand some of the reasons why volunteers are needed in Namibia and that these suggestions create awareness. Many of you helped send me here, in one way or another, and I think it is important for me to report back to you. Hopefully through reading this blog, you can get some sense of exposure to Namibia and feel culturally connected to the larger Africa, just as I have been fortunate enough to.
I’ll post once more before I leave, sometime later on in the week. After that, I’ll be in the states and will be able to put up a few pictures a day, so you can actually see (yes!) what I have been seeing. Best.
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