1. CSTL Sharing Meeting 2015 PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE Southern Sun Cape Sun– Cape Town, South Africa 23-25 November 2015 INGENISIA KATJIUONGUA NAMIBIA

2. A description of the policy and programme Objectives : Education For All’s (EFA) Goal National Plan of Action 2001-2015 “Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete free and compulsory primary education of good quality. Inclusive Education’s objective is to promote the principles of education for all and it is underscored by our national goals of education namely; access, equity, quality and democracy. Primary Education net enrolment: 98.5% in 2010, 99.8% in 2011 and 99.7% in 2012 (there is a worrying trend of non-retention of primary phase learners through to the secondary phase. The net enrolment for Secondary Education stood at 55.7% in 2010, 59.1% in 2011 and 57.8% in 2012. Thus, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has set in place various projects and policies that cater for psychosocial wellbeing of the learners as a way of rendering inclusive quality education through collaboration within its divisions, line ministries and non governmental organisations.

3. A description of the policy and programme Hence the following motions were set in place (Policies):  Education Sector Policy for Orphans and Vulnerable Children & Manual for teachers (2008)  Education Sector Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy & Teachers’ Manual (2012)  Sector Policy on Inclusive Education (2013)– (Parents, traditional leaders, school management trained)  Promotion Policy - Cumulative Record Cards  National Policy for School Health (Ministry of Health & Social Services-2008)

4. A description of the policy and programme Projects and Programs:  Appointment of Regional School Counsellors – 14 regions  Appointment of Speech Therapist and Audiologists (at National Level)  One Fulltime Life Skills teacher per school with an enrolment of 245-600 learners from Grade 4- 12 and schools with 600 or more learners from Grade 4-12 get a second Life skills teacher (depending on the regions’ budgets).  Counselling Support Groups in schools (Teacher Counsellors & Life Skills teachers)  School Feeding Program in Primary & Combined Schools. (school gardening)  Curriculum Framework for Inclusive Education (Learning Support Unit and Basic Pre-Vocational Stream- for Learners with Learning difficulties & Resource Units for Learners wit disabilities)  Universal Primary Education as from 2013 and Universal Secondary Education that will commence in 2016

5. A description of the programme or policy continues… Projects and Programs:  My future is my choice for Grade 8’s and Window of Hope Program for Primary School Learners (HIV&AIDS) - Grades 4-7).  RHIVA Program (Reducing HIV in Adolescence) funded by embassy of the Kingdom Netherlands (A conditional cash transfer HIV Prevention Program targeting adolescents in Secondary Schools) currently in one region.  Awareness Campaigns, e.g. Health and Wellness Week  Career Fairs  Star for life Program (HIV&AIDS Prevention, Psychosocial support & life coaching) at some High Schools in the country.  Blue Cross Program (Drugs & Alcohol Prevention).  School Health Program & Education and Advisory Network for Effective Parenting (partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services & Non-Governmental Organizations

6. Achievements  Learners have access to counselling when they need it at schools.  Increase in the number of learners who attend school (e.g. from 1382 schools benefiting from School Feeding Program the enrolment of learners has increased by 9% from 2012 to 2013.  Increase and retention in the number of Mother-learner who return to school.  Increase in ratio of Fulltime Life Skills teachers to schools with 600 or more learners from Grade 4-12. (depending on regional budgets)

7. Challenges  Referral Sources at Regional Level (no Clinical or Educational Psychologist).  Speech Therapist and Audiologists : Schools ratio  High staff turn-over of Life Skills teacher.  Lack of interest in counselling by Teacher Counsellors.  In-service Training of new Life Skills & Teacher Counsellors (funds).  Sensitization of school management and regional offices on Life Skills subject & counselling.  Use & knowledge of counselling services by learners (counselling rooms at schools, stigmatization of learners who use counselling)  Regional School Counsellors: School Ratio 1:50  Only 4 Senior Special Schools for learners with learning difficulties (Basic Pre-Vocational Stream).  Learners under the age of 18 who use drugs and alcohol have no Rehabilitation Centre.  Out-dated data 2012 (lack of Human Resource at National Level).

8. Opportunities  Support from UNICEF, e.g. Funds for Policies and Material Development as well as for Trainings.  Support from Legal Assistance Centre, Namibia (Comics)  Collaborations with Non-Governmental Organizations ( e.g. Namibia Planned Parenthood Association (NAPPA), Life-Line Child Line, Philippi Trust Namibia, Star for Life, Blue Cross)  Partnership with the Ministry of Gender Equality & Social Welfare (Social Workers-Grants & Foster homes)  Partnership with the Ministry of Health & Social Services (Gender Based Violence Investigation Unit & School Health Program)

9. Key Lessons Learnt  Continuing Support and Monitoring of implementation of policies, programs & projects  Advocacy for importance of Life Skills subject, counselling in schools and understanding of some policies e.g. Education Sector Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy

10. Comments and Questions from the Floor & Other Panellists.