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Item Namibian teachers’ understanding of education for all issues(University of Namibia, 2013) Zimba, Roderick F.; Mufune, Pempelani; Likando, Gilbert N.; February, Pamela J.The purpose of this study was to find out Namibian teachers’ understanding of their work circumstances, goals of education for all (EFA) and quality of education. To obtain data on these issues, a structured questionnaire was administered to a proportional representative sample of 1611 primary and secondary school teachers from six regions. Some of the study’s main findings were that several sampled teachers taught under difficult circumstances in which their schools lacked classroom furniture, electricity, water, teaching and learning materials; had problems communicating with parents of their learners; had difficulties managing overcrowded classrooms; were given heavy administrative loads that prevented them from effectively undertaking their teaching duties and that they knew little about the existence of EFA goals. These and other findings are discussed in the paper and developed into insights for enhancing educational practice in Namibia and for identifying issues on which to base further research.Item A proposed framework for best practice in quality assurance in Namibian higher education institutions(University of Namibia, 2013) Van der Westhuizen, LouiseThis study investigated into the current status of quality assurance in the relatively young higher education sector of Namibia, where the official quality assurance system still is in the process of development. The purpose of the study was to determine the status and level of quality assurance mechanisms within Namibian higher education institutions with reference to current international quality assurance practices. The study confined itself to degree-granting higher education institutions only, with a university status. Three institutions participated in the study - one public university, one private university, and one polytechnic. A phenomenological explorative and descriptive design was used with the aim of seeking an understanding and interpretation of the true meaning that the participants accorded to their experience of the phenomenon under study, namely, quality assurance in higher education institutions. The methodology was based on improvement-oriented evaluation. The data were collected by means of individual interviews (purposeful sampling) and institutional document analyses.Item The evolution of regional and local government(University of Namibia, 2013) Mutumba, Boniface S.Although regional and local government has been in existence in Namibia since the colonial times, it never existed in the communal areas of the territory. As a consequence of this, tribal authorities governed these parts of the territory. This underscored the importance of local government that time and also inhibited people from taking part in the decision making process on matters pertaining to their lives. This scenario reduced citizens to mere recipients of predetermined decisions of the colonial authorities. In some parts of the Police Zone, where regional and local government was practiced, local governments were mere extensions of the state in that all decisions were taken in colonial capitals and handed down to local governments for implementation. This effectively meant that regional and local government was subjected to central control, and also that, extensive centrally determined rules governed activities such as development planning and policy-making at sub national levels.Item “Confessional spaces and criminality”: Incest in Alice Walker and Yvonne Vera’s works(University of Namibia, 2013) Mhandu, EdwinThe paper explores incest in Alice Walker and Yvonne Vera’s works as site for contestation of larger forces in society. The portrayal of incest comes at a time where certain “truisms” known to be in Black men in the stereotypification lore are overly dramatised and this tend to submerge genuine and well meaning struggles for racial emancipation and self determination to the periphery. That black men are portrayed as people with unrestricted libido is neither fortuitous nor an incidental project in the aforementioned writers’ works, rather, as a matter of priority it is often easy to take the lesser path by further complicating and bashing the generic punch bag of the Caucasian world. Thus, l argue that the said incestuous relationships are meant to vulgarise in a parallel form the ongoing struggles in America and in Colonial Zimbabwe respectively in the manner of Thomas Rice’s staged minstrels in Antebellum America. The emphasis by Walker and Vera is on the defective forms of lifestyles by people who declare alibis from the struggles and many critics have tended to applaud such projections as characterising a quest for inclusivity of the formerly muffled voices. This article contextualises the crime of incest, in its socio-political realm and refutes the overblown criminality of the black men as a political invention. Cases of incest abound in society and may persist in the unforeseeable future but these are not a preserve of black men.Item Towards improving rural water supply and sanitation coverage in Caprivi, North-east Namibia(University of Namibia, 2013) Matengu, Keneth K.Improving access to clean drinking water has been a major development goal of the Government of Namibia since independence. In particular, efforts were made to ensure that access to clean water for women and children who carry the responsibility of household maintenance and water provision in homesteads is improved. Women and children constitute a major part of the rural population and have traditionally relied on open water sources. By improving the supply of clean quality water, health risks can be reduced. This paper examines the progress done by the Government of Namibia in improving access to rural water supply through a case study of Caprivi region. A mixed methods approach is used. The results show that major improvements in rural water supply have been made, however this has not resulted in reduction of waterborne diseases.Item The use of contextualised teaching and learning in grade 11 and 12 mathematics classrooms in Gobabis, Namibia(University of Namibia, 2013) Makari, Eben-Eser K.; Kasanda, Choshi D.This paper investigates the use of contexts in the teaching and learning of mathematics in two secondary schools in the Gobabis area using the Mayoh & Knutton (1997) taxonomy. It was found that not all contexts as suggested by Mayoh & Knutton were used by the teachers and that the context were almost entirely initiated by the mathematics teachers and were used as a primary strategy for presenting the content. The study recommended the introduction of the use of contexts in the pre-service training of mathematics teachers and that teachers create their own mathematics problems to solve rather than adhering to the problems provided in their textbooks which are often of a foreign origin.Item The determinants of the child mortality rate in rural Namibia(University of Namibia, 2013) Kaundjua, Maria B.From a policy perspective, the most useful information about child mortality is its determinants. Hence, during the 20th and 21st centuries, researchers have increasingly turned their attention to identifying factors associated with low child mortality in developing countries. The identification of factors that account for variations in childhood mortality is essential in the formulation of policies and programs that aim to reduce child mortality. This paper analyses and compares the determinants of child mortality in Namibia, nationally, and in the two rural regional health directorates (RHDs), namely the Northeast and Northwest, using the 2006-07 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey. The Cox proportional hazard model is applied to assess the relative effects of the independent variables on child mortality. The results show that short birth intervals and widowed or divorced mothers had the highest risk of child mortality (p < 0.001) in Namibia as a whole as well as in the two rural RHDs. Whilst the variables of a toilet facility and mothers’ education showed significance in both the Northeast and Northwest RHDs, their risks were lower in the Northwest. The variation by the sex of the household head only had a distinct impact in the Northeast RHD. These findings support policy initiatives that encourage longer birth intervals via the strengthening of contraceptive use through broader programs of sexual and reproductive health. The results of this study are also expected to guide policy makers and programme managers in the health sector to formulate targeted intervention programs to reduce child mortality in the rural regions of Namibia.Item Student evaluation at Windhoek College of Education: Evidence of quality assurance to improve teaching and learning(University of Namibia, 2013) Iipinge, Sakaria M.; Likando, Gilbert N.; Haipinge, Erkkie; Claassen, PamelaUsing a qualitative approach, this paper took a critical look at the role of student evaluation at the then Windhoek College of Education as a tool to assess the quality of teaching at the institution. It examined the pros and cons of introducing student evaluation as a tool to measure teaching effectiveness of academic staff at this institution. The findings showed that, despite the fact that literature reveals that student evaluation is a common tool used to assess the content pedagogy of academic staff in many institutions worldwide, there are concerns that need to be taken into consideration in terms of validating the outcomes of these evaluations. The findings show that these concerns include: student lecturer relationship; student interest in a particular subject; lecturer subject content and pedagogical skills; general appearance of the lecturer; lecturer’s assertiveness and the quality of training received. It concludes by affirming that dealing with people’s perceptions and attitude is a complex phenomenon, and, in the context of this research, there was a need for a paradigm shift in the way lecturers at the former Windhoek College of Education perceived student evaluations vis-à-vis its purpose in academia.Item The analysis of content question words in Embosi and Teke(University of Namibia, 2013) Ibara, Yvon P.This paper demonstrates that the typological classification does not affect all the linguistic descriptive apparatus of languages belonging to the same language family. It appears that the content question word ‘what’ has two distinct positions in Embosi and Teke. In the former, it is a post verbal word, whereas in the latter it is a pre-verbal word; hence challenging Split CP Hypothesis that is unable to explain its occurrence in the languages under discussion.Item An examination of Korean students’ pronunciation of English consonants: The relationship between perception and production(University of Namibia, 2013) Hamakali, Hafeni P.This study examined the relationship between perception and production difficulties in English pronunciation. The participants were 24 Korean students at California State University, Los Angeles, in the English Language Program. First, the participants were given a listening test, evaluating their ability to discriminate consonants at word, sentence, and passage levels. Second, the participants took a read-aloud test, also at word, sentence and passage levels while they were being recorded. Using binary scoring, the recordings were rated by two raters. The means of perception and production errors observed were then correlated, and the resulting correlation coefficient indicated the kind and degree of relationship between the perception and production errors. The findings showed that although there seem to be differences between the number of perception and production errors, a significant relationship exists between the perception and production difficulties of English pronunciation. The findings of this study inform the ESL teachers and material developers about certain issues that they should consider when planning and designing teaching as well as assessment activities of English pronunciation. Even though this study only focused on perception and production difficulties experienced by Korean students, it can also be used as a reference for our Namibian ESL community in teaching and assessing ESL students.Item Processing methods of Oshikundu, a traditional beverage from sub-tribes within Aawambo culture in the Northern Namibia(University of Namibia, 2013) Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Kahaka, Gladys K.; Lendelvo, Selma M.Fermented beverages have a long history in Africa and fermentation is the cheapest, oldest form of food preservation. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has been at the for-front of the traditional food and beverage processing technology. Oshikundu is a Namibian cereal based fermented beverage brewed with water, brans, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) flour locally known as mahangu and malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour. Oshikundu is brewed in many households among Aawambo and part of Kavango region.It is a perishable beverage with a shelf life under six hours. Oshikundu is brewed for many generations among Aawambo, which the brewing process have adopt and evolved over time. The traditional art of brewing Oshikundu has been passed orally from generation to generation. The knowledge of brewing and interest is declining over time especially among young people. Rural women have taken advantage of the locally available raw materials with their IK for their livelihood by selling Oshikundu. The traditional methods have potential to incorporate the modern biotechnology to control, optimise and standardise the organoleptic quality of Oshikundu.Item Gender, social capital and social reproduction: The (in)visibility of care work in the context of HIV/ AIDS(University of Namibia, 2013) Edwards-Jauch, LucyIn Namibia the majority of orphans and vulnerable children are absorbed into the extended family structure. Out of an orphan population of 150 000 only a small number (729) is taken in by the 36 registered Residential Child Care Facilities (RCCFs) and 533 by unregistered RCCFs. There is, however, little discussion on who in the extended family does the caring or the gendered nature of that care. Women are the primary care givers of orphans and vulnerable children. This socially necessary reproductive labour is not enumerated or remunerated. The majority of households that take in orphans and vulnerable children are headed by elderly females who themselves depend on social transfers and remittances. The additional care burden exacerbates the crisis of social reproduction in affected households. Social Capital theorists, see women’s social reproductive labour as instrumental to reducing the care burden on the state. Feminist Social Reproduction theorists see it as contributing to social inequalities. Research in Namibia reveals the crises of social reproduction in AIDS affected households. This includes food insecurity, income insufficiency and the exclusion from services. Many affected households cannot access the social grants available due to social, economic and administrative barriers. This paper argues for the validation of women’s unpaid social reproductive labour in order to break the cycle of poverty and marginalization caused by AIDS. It argues for the inclusion of unpaid care work into macroeconomic frameworks.Item Spatial planning in urbanisation: Observations from an academic perspective(University of Namibia, 2013) Becker, Fritz O.Sector and spatial development in rural and urban regions of Namibia following in the wake of e.g. urbanisation, migration or mining – in essence often irreversible land consumption – call for an instituted physical organisation of space with the assistance of intra-national and trans-frontier strategies. Spatial planning perceived as an administrative technique and a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach to balanced distribution of avenues to means of production-, the author exemplifies scientific foundations along with administrative conditions in practice and local situations of concern. In support of the ‘The Inaugural Namibian Conference on Strategic Spatial Planning for Urbanisation’ (2012), the paper ultimately promotes the joint and expanded furthering of ‘human capacity building’ through education and training at institutions of tertiary education in conjunction with departments of professional public sector and private sector planning agencies.Item (Inter) cultural investigation: Kenya in German crime fiction(University of Namibia, 2013) Augart, JuliaDespite its marginalised appearance in politics and economics and being reduced to crime, chaos and catastrophes, the African continent has lately featured regularly in crime fiction (Picker 2011). African crime fiction, meaning crime fiction written by African authors, but also crime fiction set in Africa and written by non-Africans, is on a rise. Kenya has been among the popular crime settings in German crime fiction since the 1970s. A number of crime novels make use of a German investigator and an African setting and feature crosscultural as well as intercultural investigation teams. This paper presents Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and analyses the German crime novels of Henry Kolarz, Detlef Wolff and the trilogy of the Swiss author Peter Höner, all set in Kenya. The paper investigates the portrayal of cultural encounters and multicultural cooperation and to what extend the novels show an intercultural investigation. Furthermore, it outlines similarities of novels in regard to the (inter)cultural set up.Item Liberal democracy, education and social justice in Africa(University of Namibia, 2013) Amukugo, Elizabeth M.It is a widely accepted view that military and other forms of authoritarian rule were employed in the governance of certain African countries during the early years of postcolonial period from the 1960s to 1980’s as indicated by Bangura (1992), Harber (1997) and Leon (2010). Besides, a few socialist-oriented, independent one-party states existed. The latter years (1990s into the 21st century), saw many independent African countries embracing ‘liberal democracy’ accompanied by market economic models. The introduction of liberal democracy on the African continent has not been without its controversies however, as some African and Carribean social scientists such as Ake (1993 & 1996), Mafeje (2002), Lumumba-Kasongo, (2005), Ngwane (2006) and Sankatsing (2004), have blamed this system for being responsible for much social wretchedness across Africa. The question is: (a) to what extent has liberal democracy delivered social equity on the continent; and (b) in which way do liberal democratic policies promote or impede the aims of education in a democratic society? Arguing from a critical theory perspective, this Article explores the way in which liberal democracy as a system of governance put limitations on education’s capacity to play the transformative role within society. It suggests that liberal democracy advocates equality of opportunities for all at the expense of social justice; and that this prevent education from playing its role as a tool for achieving greater equity within society through promoting human, social and economic development.Item Violation and the inscription of opposites in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and Bram Stoker’s Dracula(University of Namibia, 2012) Harford, CarolynPart of the power of myths and symbols is held to lie in their capacity to encompass opposites. This paper proposes that the mythologem of a male violation of a virginal female victim is inscripted to represent the opposites of fertility and infertility in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which represent the rape of Persephone by Hades and the vampiric attack on Lucy Westenra by Dracula, respectively. The opposition emerges partly in the fate of the victim. In the Homeric Hymn, Persephone is taken from above ground to the underworld by Hades, an allegory of the planting of the corn seed, which further symbolizes the cycle of fertility in which life emerges from death, as indicated by Kerényi (2002a). In Dracula, Lucy Westenra does not make this journey. When she dies after Dracula’s attack, she is not truly dead, neither above nor below, but trapped in the middle, as one of the Undead. This version of the mythologem may thus be said to represent infertility. This conclusion may be sharpened in the light of a common reading of Dracula as refl ecting the anxieties of Bram Stoker’s Victorian society about women’s sexuality. Lucy’s transformation into a vampire is accompanied by an increased sexual boldness towards the men around her. This voluptuousness suggests unchastity, the “fate worse than death”, represented by the fate of being undead. Unchastity in this light is opposed to, not fertility perse, but to socially sanctioned fertility.Item Genitals are assets: Sexual and reproductive behaviours of street children of Harare, Zimbabwe, in the era of the HIV and Aids pandemic by Watch Ruparanganda. Umbreit: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2011, pp 303.(University of Namibia, 2012) Chirere, MemoryWatch Ruparanganda’s book, Genitals are Assets: Sexual and Reproductive Behaviours of Street Children of Harare, Zimbabwe, in the era of the HIV and Aids Pandemic, is extremely thought provoking and will make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. It explores the sexual and economic relations amongst the street children of Harare, Zimbabwe, in a language that is effortless and compelling. This is a book for both the deep academics and ordinary readers. Underneath everything else, this book goes into important theoretical and methodological debates about power differentials between men and women in society.Item Sociolinguistic meaning of Bantu place names : The case of Ruhaya in north-western Tanzania(University of Namibia, 2012) Buberwa, AdventinaThis paper examines the sociolinguistic meaning behind the adoption of place names in Ruhaya, the language spoken in north-western Tanzania. The paper based on the assumption that place names are not arbitrary labels but are connected with particular social-cultural phenomena such as community heroes or persons who made notable contributions to the society or people who had achieved particular notoriety or events that had come to be considered unique. These would be reflected in what the name was derived from in the appropriate time and place (appropriate context). The paper reveals that Ruhaya place names have meanings which tend to be derived from phenomena such as names of unique people, events, fauna, flora, crops raised, habitation information, natural terrain and activities carried out in the area to which the name is given. Also, place names in Ruhaya have meanings relating to parts of the human body such as hip, nape, tongue, breast and heart. As language advance, it was necessary to explore such sociolinguistic elements as an important contribution to the growing body of sociolinguistics and linguistics knowledge relating to languages spoken in Tanzania and Africa in general.Item Writers and teachers as agents of social change(University of Namibia, 2012) Broekhoff, MarnaDespite idealistic intentions, teachers at all levels and in most subjects are often accused of fostering Western hegemony and linguistic imperialism. However, a unique writing project in the southern African country of Namibia demonstrates that teachers can become agents of social change. One part of this project is an anthology of writings by indigenous women about their struggles with HIV and AIDS. Because AIDS has become a pandemic, now afflicting more than 35 million people worldwide, this anthology from Namibia, produced by the Women’s Leadership Centre, provides both a local and global (or “glocal”) orientation to the problem. It demonstrates the value of English in promoting health and human rights issues and more generally of empowering marginalized populations. It is also a supreme example of auto-ethnography, an account of one’s own experiences as grounded in and reflecting a culture, which has become a cutting-edge form of qualitative research. This paper explains how this “grass roots” writing project works and how to replicate it and develop relevant curriculum in other settings. A Reading Guide and high school curriculum have already been created, providing authentic, contextualized, and culturally appropriate materials for consciousness-raising activities focusing on reader response to social concerns, as well as for a typical language lesson.