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Conference Theme

"Collective Delivery of the Education Promise: Improving the Education and Training System for Quality Learning Outcomes and Quality of Life."

1. Introduction

Upon their appointment in March 2010, the Hon. Ministers of Education, Dr Abraham Iyambo and Dr David Namwandi, received comments from the public on the poor state of education and training in Namibia and urging for a national debate. It was therefore found necessary to hold a consultative national conference on education to engage the public and key stakeholders in re-shaping the present education and training system. The Cabinet of the Republic of Namibia endorsed the call for such a conference to be held in 2011.

According to empirical data available, the current education and training system has the following weaknesses: poor learning outcomes at all levels; poor management and accountability; inequitable resource allocations; inequitable access to quality education provision; inefficiency; persisting decline of morals, values and discipline in educational institutions; little articulation between educational programmes at different levels of the schooling system including higher education and training system. The education and training system is perceived as having little relevance to the economy; providing little capacity for knowledge creation and innovation, and therefore not effectively meeting the challenges of 21st century or supporting the attainment of national development goals and aspirations of the Vision 2030.

2. Conference theme

Collective delivery of the education promise: Improving the education and training system for quality learning outcomes and quality of life

3. Sub-themes

Aligning legislation, governance and management in the education system for quality outputs

• Access, Equity and Life-long Learning
• Funding
• Programme relevance, articulation and quality
• Learner/student development, progress, conduct and motivation
• Human resource preparation, recruitment, competence, career development and incentives
• Socio-economic, health, environmental, demographic and cultural challenges
• Infrastructural and ICT development

The above-mentioned sub-themes will be addressed across the following education sub-sectors:

• Early childhood development, including pre-primary education
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Higher education
• Vocational Education and Training
• Adult and Life-long learning

4. Aims and objectives of the conference

The objectives of the conference are to:

• provide an in-depth analysis of the current state of the Namibian education and training system at all levels (pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational, higher education);
• identify deficiencies in the current  education and training system;  
• seek consensus on major and large areas in need of improvement  in order to deliver quality education and training at all levels;
• develop resolutions from the conference proceedings which form the basis for developing a road map towards comprehensive reforms of the Namibian education and training system.

5. The outputs of the conference

Output 1:

• An in-depth analysis of the current state of the Namibian education and training system conducted;
• Deficiencies in the current education and training system identified;
• Consensus reached on major and large areas needing improvement.

 Output 2:

• Roles and responsibilities of major stakeholders identified and clarified.
• Policy options that need to be developed or changed identified.

Output 3:

• Resolutions developed to provide the road map for a comprehensive education and training reforms in Namibia.

6. Who should attend

• Senior representatives from Government Ministries;
• Representatives of: Learners/ Trainees/ Students, Parents, Teachers, Churches, Unions, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organization, Business Community, Parliamentarians, Higher Education Institutions, Development Partners etc. 
• Representatives from the thirteen (13) regions. Regional delegation should consist of the following: Governors, Councillors, Chief Regional Officers, Regional Offices and Principals, Directors of Education and Regional Education Officers, Traditional Authorities, Regional Education Forum Representatives, School Board Members' Representatives, Students’ Organisation Representatives.