Windhoek — "First National Bank of Namibia opened its doors more than 100 years ago and since then has been involved in giving back to communities to help them grow by supporting the economic well-being and quality of life for everybody."

This was the view of the Head of Marketing of FNB Namibia, Dixon Norval, recently at an ETSIP workshop.

"Over the years FNB Namibia has partnered with a variety of educational, civic and charitable organizations and initiatives, one of them being ETSIP, the Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme, aimed at addressing weaknesses and other structural problems in the education sector," Norval said.

According to him the FNB Foundation in 2007 responded to a call by the Prime Minister Nahas Angula and pledged a five-year support to ETSIP with an amount totalling N$1 250000.

"This is towards the development and offering of an Advance Certificate in Education, Management and Leadership for school principals and management. The programme is offered through a bilateral agreement between Windhoek College of Education and the University of Johannesburg. We are proud to be able to report that the first two years have been a major success," the banker said.

More than 50 principals from the Erongo, Khorixas, Ondangwa and Karas regions have received training to empower, enhance and develop their management skills, knowledge and attributes aimed at playing a more significant role in the realisation of the goals and aspirations of Vision 2030, EFA and the NDP1, 2 and 3.

"The avenue was created for the school principals and management to become better and more responsive administrators in line with the hopes and aspirations of parents, teachers and learners. The first cohort of principals attended two training sessions per year, delivered by the University of Johannesburg in Keetmanshoop and Swakopmund and were tasked with 15 assignments throughout the two years," he said.

A major component of the training is the design, implementation and evaluation of a unique project aimed at improving a specific challenge in their schools. Upon graduation they will receive a Level 7 NQA accreditation which opens the avenue to pursue a BEd Honours degree hereafter. The graduation ceremony is planned for May 2010.

"The Advanced Certificate in Education, Management and Leadership for school principals consists of a number of theoretical as well as practical sessions and modules based on the following: understanding of school management; issues of managing teaching and learning; leading and managing people; organisational systems, financial and resource management and the management and development of policy, governance and school development," Norval asserted.

The programme aims at equipping each participant within his/her own contextuality, based on sound academic principles.

"According to reports FNB received from school principals as well as the University of Johannesburg, the progress so far has been overwhelmingly positive, if not euphoric. The students (principals) have said and I quote 'I have profited a lot from the programme in my daily work at the school' and 'My exposure to the basic principles of what is expected from me in a management position in education in Namibia was enhanced with on the job training and this course.

"Personally, I am pleased that through this training I became part of the transition process as we are able to widen our scope and perception of what should happen at our schools. It seems as if the mixture or practical and academic teaching has been the biggest success story," he concluded.

Other co-sponsors of this training initiative include the Pupkewitz Foundation, the Skorpion Foundation and the Rössing Foundation.