Observer – Page 630 – Windhoek Observer

07 May

Ministry cuts funding to private schools

ObserverObserver MoneyMinistry of Education, private schools, Sanet Steenkamp

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Education has discontinued funding private schools after discovering it was not uniformly done. Education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp said the ministry put a stop to funding after discovering that certain conditions for funding, such as providing scholarships for 10 percent of its enrollment to vulnerable children, was not being met. Some private schools were also heavily reliant on the subsidy and could not prove that they were self-reliant. N$87 million per annum was dispersed to private schools in the past. Steenkamp said that while the economic downturn of the last three years has also…

07 May

Nampol welcomes alcohol ban

ObserverObserver Moneyalcohol, Deputy-Commissioner, Kauna Shikwambi, NAMPOL, NAMPOL Spokesperson

Staff Writer The Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL) has welcomed the newly amended government regulations which have imposed a total ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages during the on-going lockdown, reversing earlier regulations which had allowed alcohol with a content below 3 percent to be sold. Under the new gazetted regulations, liquor is now defined as any spirits, wine, beer, cider or other beverage containing alcohol intended for human consumption, excluding alcohol intended to be used for medicinal purposes. “The amended regulations make it easier for us to enforce the lockdown and we are glad the leaders heeded to our…

07 May

We were ill-prepared – Steenkamp

ObserverObserver MoneyArts and Culture Executive Director, Covid-19, Ministry of Education, Sanet Steenkamp

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Education has admitted that it was ill prepared to implement the online education demands brought about by the coronavirus outbreak. This comes as student learning was brought to a grinding halt countrywide due to the government’s decision to close schools to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The ministry has been battling to restart classes through e-learning. “I must admit, we were so caught on addressing text book needs, but COVID-19 gave us the opportunity to modernize and to find alternative teaching and learning modalities. We are entering into deep discussions with the Commonwealth…

07 May

Southern Africa: rethinking the media sustainability models in the post-COVID-19

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, media, Southern Africa

Admire Mare As the world is ceased with trying to find a lasting solution against the deadly coronavirus (code-named COVID-19), the media industry in particular has been negatively affected by the state of disaster (emergence) and locked down measures put in place by governments across the globe. All of sudden the oxygen of the [print] media industry, which includes advertising, events and newspaper sales, have been extinguished. Some corporates have moved in quickly to suspend or even terminate their advertising contracts during the lockdown period. Others have had to move their adverts to platform companies and online newspapers in anticipation…

07 May

Find your #newnormal before it finds you

ObserverNational News

Don’t deny the reality that everything is changing. Accept that your world post-COVID-19 will be the same as before the pandemic. Other than the banks, all economic sectors and households are taking a beating. And Government cannot save each of us. We must plan to save ourselves. The world as we all knew it is gone. If you are middle class, prepare for the lower middle class or worse. If you were living pay check to pay check, you are in big trouble. If the cash lenders own your pay check and it is not coming any more, you are…

06 May

Tourism sector forecasts N$20 billion loss

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment, tourism

. . . as government continues to delay N$400m subsidy Andrew Kathindi Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta has said that the tourism sector could lose at least N$20 billion in anticipated revenues and fixed assets by the end of 2020 due to the global lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Namibia has received no inbound tourists since international borders of all countries were virtually closed to combat the spread of COVID-19. The Minister has told the Windhoek Observer that he believes that it is most likely that the tourism sector in Namibia will pick up only after…

06 May

Conservation sustainability gets N$16 million boost

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19

Andrew Kathindi A total of N$16 million has been raised for the Conservation Relief, Recovery and Resilient Facility which aims to address the long-term impacts associated with COVID-19 on the sustainability of the Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Program in Namibia. Of this amount, the Namibia Association for CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) will receive N$7.5 million. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) pledged an amount of N$1.5 million, while Nedbank Namibia has pledged an amount of N$1 million to the project. This amount is about a quarter of the conservancy income from tourism operations…

06 May

NACADA: THE COMBATANT COMMANDER

ObserverUncategorisedCassinga, Comrade and Commander Willehard Vayakohambo Tashiya Nacada Chicololo

General Martin Shalli In the midst of corona virus pandemic with its economic rampage, lockdown, fear, death, internet conspiracy theories and infodemic, Namibia commemorates 42nd anniversary of the Cassinga massacre and the battle of Chetequera. In remembrance of all those who died, shed blood and survived on this day, we pay tribute to all of them. May their souls continue to rest in eternal peace! And may their blood continue to water our freedom! We salute them and in the hope that their revolutionary spirit help to continue to serve as a glue of unity, patriotism, solidarity, peace, and justice.…

06 May

Masks: the cart before the horse

ObserverNational NewsCovid-19

The national phased plan to reopen Namibia is not Namibian. We have cut-and-pasted regulations suited to other people’s COVID-19 situations. However, prevention of the pandemic is not always a one-size-fits-all proposition. The Phase 2 demand that masks be worn by everyone while in public has given rise to this concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) website clearly states that there is no need for ALL citizens to wear masks. On the contrary, they cite that ONLY those working with patients in hospitals, those who are ill or living with those who are, the immune-compromised, and essential health care and safety…

04 May

The Time Traveler: Criminalizing fake news is not the way

ObserverUncategorisedCovid-19, Government Gazette

Hugh Ellis It seems that Government may criminalize the spreading of fake news on the Coronavirus pandemic, during the current state of emergency. In terms of regulations published in the Government Gazette, it is now (at least technically) a criminal offense to publish a statement, including on social media, that is intended to deceive people about the Covid-19 status of someone or about measures intended to combat, prevent and suppress the disease. Offenders may be fined N$2000 or face six months imprisonment. Readers of this column will know I despise fake news, and have little time for those who spread…