The Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) in Kavango East has expressed dissatisfaction over the limited access teachers in the region have to wellness programmes funded by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture.
Nantu regional chairperson Petrus Kashumali raised the concerns during the official launch of the sixth edition of the Sanlam Annual Teachers Tournament in Rundu on Tuesday.
The tournament, which is running from 18 to 22 September 2024, will see teachers take part in football, netball and volleyball.
‘I am one of the teachers who has not been happy over the past years because the Ministry of Education has a wellness programme which teachers are excluded from. The programme only includes administrators and inspectors,’ Kashumali said.
Kashumali said the police, army, regional councils, local authorities and even the Correctional Service have sports tournaments funded by their employers.
He called on the ministry to consider teachers when planning wellness activities in the future.
‘It ma
kes me question whether teachers only belong to Nantu and not the ministry. This thing of the ministry leaving us out as if we are stepchildren should end,’ he said.
In the same vein, the ministry’s acting inspector in the region’s Rundu circuit, Vaino Peter, said he too was disappointed that certain local companies like banks do not sponsor teachers’ activities despite teachers being among such companies’ largest groups of loan applicants.
In response, the Director of Education in the region, Christine Shilima said wellness is an integral part of the ministry’s strategic plan.
‘I will not comment on why we could not provide funding as we have done with staff members under the unified structure. I’ll leave my comment for when we meet with Nantu at national level,’ Shilima said.
Source: The Namibia News Agency