Walvis Bay — The Education Officer for Erongo Region, Ben Katowa, is concerned about the high failure rate of Grade 10 pupils.

"We are very concerned. In some schools, learners obtain a mark of only two percent for a subject, while in one instance only one pupil passed. The ministry is worried about what the future of Grade 10 students will be if they fail their grade," he said at the launch of the Spring School.

More than 150 learners from various schools are attending extra classes spanning five days to improve their performance in subjects like mathematics, science and accounting.

Katowa revealed that the Ministry of Education is investigating ways of improving the quality of education at all levels.

"Only a few schools in the region are performing well. Initiatives like the Spring School is but one of the methods the ministry is employing to address the poor pass rate," he said.

"I believe the other schools can also rise to the top, but this will require hard work, dedication and commitment from students, teachers and parents. The Spring School may be short, but this is your chance to make sure that you are well acquainted with the course material and well prepared for the final exams," said the regional educational officer.

In a speech read on her behalf by Councillor Derek Klazen, the Mayor of Walvis Bay, Uilika Nambahu, commended the Spring School as a brilliant idea.

She added that although the concept of a Spring School is not new, it is rare in Namibia, as learners often simply want to enjoy their holidays and forget about schoolwork.

"It is heart-warming to see dedication and commitment of our educators and learners in preparing for the final exams, during school holidays," stated the Mayor.

"If you review the performance and pass rates of schools in Namibia, you may be quite concerned about the poor results in some schools. Many people often either blame the educational system, the method of the teacher, or the subject material.

But one cannot apportion blame or point fingers at what people may believe the reason is for poor exam results."

She said education in the classroom is a symbiosis of cooperation between teacher, learner and parents.

"If you as a learner choose not to study, then you will not achieve good results.

Similarly, if a teacher does not provide the necessary guidance and assistance when students struggle with a subject, the students will perform poorly," stated the mayor.

She noted, "Without the support of parents, students also easily adopt an 'I-don't-care' attitude. Not only will the Spring School help learners to understand subjects like mathematics and science better, but it will improve the exam results in schools."

She urged students to share the insights they gain with their classmates, and praised the private sector for its support.

The business community donated over N$310,000 towards the 2010 Spring School.