School of Education

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Browsing School of Education by Subject "Adult education"

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    Entrepreneurs perceptions on the effectiveness of the adult skills development for self-employment (ASDSE) programme in the Khomas region of Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Shikukumwa, Aletta T.
    The debate on the effective implementation of government intervention policies by government ministries in relation to job creation, income distribution and poverty reduction has been ongoing among educational researchers worldwide. In the case of Namibia, such a debate surfaced in the Ministry of Education, particularly with regard to the Adult Skills Development for Self-employment (ASDSE) programme in all 14 political regions. Literature consulted for this purpose has revealed that the voice of the entrepreneurs who are participating in the literacy programme are being neglected. This study intended to investigate the entrepreneurs’ perceptions on the effectiveness of the Adult Development Skills for Self-employment (ASDSE) Programme in the Khomas region of Namibia. The research was done in an attempt to understand the views of beneficiaries on the effectiveness of ASDSE, regarding the implementation of the programme.The research employed a qualitative case study design paradigm, due to the contextual nature of the phenomenon under investigation. The target population for this study included twenty beneficiaries of the programme in the Khomas education region. A purposive sampling technique was used to select information-rich respondents who were considered to possess experience and knowledge to provide reliable data. The findings of the study indicate that there are numerous constraints that interfere with the current status of ASDSE to achieve its intended objectives. These constraints include a lack of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, as a result, contributed to poor business performance, a lack of exposure to development and technological skills, inadequate financial support to many adult beneficiaries. Lack of information pertaining to other line ministries, such as Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare issuing grants, where the ASDSE beneficiaries could top up their loans. The results of the study further indicate that the project does not contribute to poverty eradication as expected. The study findings also reveal that the businesses of beneficiaries are small, with either one employee or with no employees. The study findings, furthermore, reveal that most of the ASDSE beneficiaries had not mastered the knowledge and skills needed during the training to apply the skills in order to alleviate poverty. Moreover, they did not comprehend certain skills due to the fact that they felt that the training period was too short. Conditions of loans and the amount given to these starting-up businesses were considered to contribute to the failure of the businesses. It was also revealed that most of the education officers, who were supposed to direct the beneficiaries, lacked knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, which also hampered business development. It was further revealed that the monitoring and supervisions mechanisms put in place by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture were inadequate. More effort should be made to increase supervision, as it promotes success. This study provides some understanding of the circumstances of the ASDSE beneficiaries in trying to benefit from the project, especially skills needed by many adult beneficiaries to optimise their income generating businesses. As such, this research provides an agenda for the support and improvement of the work of the Ministry of Education’s entrepreneurship programme, such as external evaluation, business support organisation, in particular by the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development. The Namibian Chamber of Commerce should consider various approaches to revamp the project and shift its focus from a constricted focus on poverty reduction to the advanced perspective of fostering entrepreneurship.
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    An investigation into strategies for mobilising resources within the adult education directorate in Otjozondjupa region
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Mafwila, Van-Roin Maswabi
    The Education for All Action Plan (2002), Millennium Development Goal Report (2008), National Development Plan 4 (2012) and the Ministry of Education Strategic Plan (2012) acknowledge the need for resource mobilisation strategies to help finance adult education. Studies on Namibia resource mobilisation highlight the lack of infrastructural, financial and human resources in adult education but the studies do not mention strategies to mobilise these resources. Fourteen regions exist in Namibia and most of them show some improvements in terms of availability of resources in adult education, except for the Otjozondjupa region that has reportedly experienced a lack of resources and a lack of effective resource mobilisation strategies (Aitchison, 2012). The aim of this study was to investigate strategies for resource mobilisation in the Otjozondjupa region. The study employed a qualitative approach because it presents research about people’s experiences, using techniques such as interviews and observations, and report findings mainly in words rather than statistics. The study followed a case study design as it helped to understand characteristics of a target population of 22 adult educationalists in the Directorate of Adult Education (DAE) in the Otjozondjupa region of Namibia. A purposeful sampling technique was used to draw the most experienced and knowledgeable staff, using an inventory to note the characteristics of respondents. The findings of the study indicated that the DAE in the Otjozondjupa region has adhoc strategies in place for resource mobilisation. However, these strategies are not operative enough to bring about the required resources within the said region. The findings reveal that the DAE does not have approaches to resource mobilisation, with regard to which a policy is lacking. The study recommends that the DAE in the Otjozondjupa region of Namibia laid a support structure by formulating a resource mobilisation policy. It also recommends that the government build coalitions with intergovernmental organisations and international financial institutions. It is recommended that the DAE develop innovative financial mechanisms such as green lotteries, auctions and business/public partnerships and also develop a holistic budget planning approach. Moreover, the DAE needs to convene a conference to bring all stakeholders together to discuss the matter of mobilising resources.
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    Parents' participation in the family literacy programme in the Kavango East region of Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Kamati, Thekla Nangura
    The establishment of Family Literacy Programmes is a worldwide trend as it is an educational method that promotes the notion of the parent being the child’s first teacher. A Family Literacy Programme (FLP) was implemented in the Kavango East Region of Namibia through the Directorate of Adult and Lifelong Learning. However, there is a high drop-out rate and low participation among parents. This study therefore sought to investigate parents’ participation in the FLP in the Kavango East Region of Namibia. The study used a qualitative research design because the researcher developed a holistic analysis of FLP in the Kavango East Region of Namibia using words, reports and detailed views of informants in natural settings. The study employed a case study design in that it focused on four schools from four constituencies of the Kavango East Region, namely Rundu Rural, Mashare, Ndonga-linena and Ndiyona. The study employed purposive sampling. The participants with specific characteristics were those parents who participated in the FLP, school principals, grade one teachers, promoters and adult educators from the four constituencies. The research instrument used to collect the data was the interview guide. The findings of the study reveal that the tendencies or prevalence of parents participation in the FLP in the Kavango East Region of Namibia is not homogenous but stems from a variety of understandings and is supported by a variety of reasons. First, it seems that there is a confusion regarding parents’ understanding of the FLP concept. The parents’ reasons for entering the FLP are related to the lack of pre-primary and primary schools, understanding the importance of education, improving academic performance of learners and reducing absenteeism and parents’ hope to acquire the basic skills of reading and writing. The reasons that force parents to drop out of the FLP in the Kavango East Region of Namibia include the following: the FLP is offered at the wrong time, lack of awareness about FLP policies and programmes, irregular visits, pedagogical approaches used by facilitators regarding lesson preparation and presentation, lack of funds and transport, laziness and ignorance among participants, pressure in the families, parents not valuing education for their children, salary delays, poor training for promoters and poor working relationships between ministry and school. The reasons that force parents out of the FLP therefore are situational and socio-economic. The parents suggested measures that could be put in place to improve participation in the FLP in the Kavango East Region of Namibia. These measures support the need to improve the curriculum, improve the relationship among stakeholders, improve the salary and qualification levels of promoters and ensure constant evaluation of the FLP. It is recommended that the division of adult education and lifelong learning to provide funding for the FLP campaign mobilize and create awareness in parents, especially those with a low level of education, provide adequate training to facilitators, extension of the programme duration and evaluation of the curriculum provide more intervention. The University of Namibia is called upon to provide learning opportunities for facilitators to further their education in the field of adult education in a form of two- to three-year diploma qualifications for teachers. The education officers in the Kavango East region must build a rapport with the school principals, Grade 1 teachers and promoters to ensure the schools succeed and improve participation of parents in the FLP. The promoters are called upon to advance and motivate parents to establish class committees to assist with the mobilization of other parents in the community. The parents who understand the importance of and benefits of FLP could be called upon to assist in motivating fellow parents by sharing their experience derived from the FLP. However, further research is still needed to assess the relevance of the FLP, the changes necessary and the extent to which the FLP objectives are being achieved.
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