Feature: Namibian schools integrating ICT into learning

As the sun reaches its peak on a Tuesday afternoon, excitement booms at Jan Mohr Secondary School community in Windhoek, capital of Namibia.

At the MultiChoice Resource Centre within the school library, learners gather to watch televised educational programs. Here, they embrace the new gift of a MultiChoice Resource Centre donated by MultiChoice, a video entertainment company.

Namushi Mayungo, a student at Jan Mohr Secondary School said that the televised educational programs complement education provision at the schools.

"As learners, we learn by seeing. We are also a technology-driven generation, hence the Resource Centre will enable us to discover a new world through information communication technology and knowledge as well as complement our reading," said Mayungo.

There has been a call for Namibia's education system to integrate information communication technology into teaching.

As such, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture said that the donation is befitting at the time the national blueprint Vision 2030, National Development Goals and educational policies calls for schools to be capacitated with information communication technology facilities.

"We also face a shortage of funds to meet all out information communication technology into schools. Hence, with this gift, the company meets government half way," said Hanse-Himarwa.

The aim of introducing the MultiChoice Resource Centre, is to integrate information communication technology into teaching and learning to improve performance.

To enable students and teachers to access educational programs, MultiChoice Namibia installed plasma screens with PVR decoders at each of the schools as a donation to the Ministry, said Milka Mungunda, Chairperson of the MultiChoice Board of Directors.

"The investment is leveraged to bring up-to-date learning material to schools in both rural and urban areas for learners and teachers, to enhance the provision of education," she said.

While the MultiChoice Resource Centre is a first for Jan Mohr Secondary School, the MultiChoice Resource Centres first introduced to the schools in 2004 at more than 300 schools across the country are already proving to be a game changer for students.

Erwan Francois Orlam, a student at Mariental Secondary School in the Hardap region can attest to the advantage and positive impact of integrating information communication technology into his learning.

Orlam spent quality time in the library watching television to enrich his life. Today, he is a top performer.

"I improved performance in grade 10, achieving excellent results. I derive my success from carefully planning his time and allocating time to watch educational programmes on the MultiChoice bouquet to enrich my deep understanding of various subjects taught in the school curriculum," Orlam added.

In the interim, at the school with limited resources, learning from Orlam's experience, with the new technology, Jan Mohr School Principal is delighted.

"The initiative is adding value to teaching and learning. Not only is that, but it also bridges the generational gaps in terms of modes of learning between veteran teachers and learners at the school, who are from two different generations," said school principal, Clemence Kloppers.

Conclusively, according to Kloppers, a schedule will be sat to advance and maximize of the facility. The comprehensive DSTV education Bouquet provides 300 schools across the country with direct access to various educational programs. Endit