Wezi Tjaronda
12 May 2008
Windhoek — The second session of the Children's Parliament has adopted 21 motions which the National Assembly will forward to the relevant offices for consideration.
This year's sitting which took pace last week tabled 26 motions in all, of which 21 were adopted, four were withdrawn and one rejected. Most of the motions were on education. The discussions of the Children's Parliament this year were around education, the Millennium Development Goals and the rising cost of living.
The motions on education range from corporal punishment in schools to Grade 10 repeaters, performance of teachers and facilities at schools. The other motions were on crime perpetrated by young people, child labour, services at hospitals, alcohol abuse and protection of the ozone layer.
A communiqué adopted on Friday afternoon, marking the end of the four-day sitting, urged the ministry of education to put an end to corporal punishment in some schools.
The junior parliamentarians noted that although the Constitution outlaws corporal punishment, some schools were still using it.
They suggested that indisciplined learners be punished by alternative means such as restricting them from sporting activities.
"In case of indisciplined learners, parents should also be informed. In addition parents should be called in and spoken to by the principals," reads the communiqué.
The parliamentarians also asked for an investigation into reasons behind bullying in schools. While they resolved that learners found guilty of bullying should be reported to principals, schools should be provided with social services for those being bullied and those bullying others.
The children added their voice to the Grade 10 dropout issue, calling on the Government to enable the children to repeat and establish vocational training institutions in the various regions. But school dropouts in general was another issue of concern among the parliamentarians who resolved that social workers intervene by making the children aware of the importance of education.
The majority of the members were in favour of girls returning to school after giving birth for the first time.
"It was the considered view of the Assembly that such pregnancy be allowed for the first time and that on return to school, measurable parenting and care of the newborn be put in place," they said.
But National Assembly Speaker Dr Theo Ben Gurirab felt the children did not do justice to this motion because they were divided on the issue.
While some felt that girls who fall pregnant for the first time be allowed to return to school, it was not known whether those that fall pregnant more than once should be barred from school.
The children noted that social problems such and poverty, unemployment and alcohol abuse were behind children committing crimes.
They resolved that shebeen owners should not sell alcohol to children under 18 years. Apart from the children themselves being advocates on the dangers of alcohol, the children asked the police to introduce an emergency telephone number where community members could report shebeeners who sell alcohol to underage children.
The parliament withdrew motions on the unfair treatment of learners in Windhoek, uninformed electricity cuts, prevention of unwanted pregnancies among school-going children and suspension of learners from school.
The motion on the effects of floods on learners in the north and north-eastern regions was rejected because the members felt the Government had put in place measures to address their problems.
Closing the session, Gurirab said education is the key to empowerment, which opened up opportunities for knowledge, information, employment, inspiration and prosperity.
"All of us parents and children alike agree fully that education is vital for society," he said.
Gurirab said the motions by the Children's Parliament called for consideration and the relevant ones would be transmitted to the relevant offices.
Although the Children's Parliament was meant to be a yearly undertaking, Gurirab said the sitting will take place every other year to allow time for proper preparations.
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