Teachers in Kavango East call for inclusion in education ministry’s wellness programmes

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 fut ure . ' It makes 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