Windhoek Gim reageer op bohaai onder privaatskole

Leerlinge sal die slagoffers wees wanneer privaatskole onder mekaar begin stry oor wie hierdie deel van die onderwyssektor verteenwoordig.
Dit was gister die boodskap van me. Colette Rieckert, besturende direkteur van Windhoek Gimnasium, in reaksie op die berig “Skool wil hof toe oor vereniging” op Vrydag se voorblad.
Volgens Rieckert is Windhoek International School (WIS) nou verwyder uit groepe wat tot die stigting van ‘n nuwe vereniging vir privaatskole in Namibië ingestem het.
Sy voer voorts aan Napso verteenwoordig te min leerlinge om ‘n gesaghebbende stem te hê.
Rieckert bestempel ‘n hofgeding oor die afhandeling van vanjaar se eksamens vir graad 11- en 12-leerlinge as ‘n laaste uitweg. Sy sê sy is vol moed ‘n oplossing sal gevind word.
Hier volg die volledige reaksie in Engels:

8 May 2020
DECLARATION BY COLETTE RIECKERT ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN NAMIBIA

For the past few years we have been various groups of private schools who met from time to time to discuss common issues and share best practices. We have never felt the need to form an official group for private schools only, as we cooperated very well, and we did not want to exclude anyone. At times we also interacted with government schools.
On Thursday, 30 April 2020, we heard the news that our Ministry of Education seems to choose Option 1 for the school calendar. It was a shock and disappointment for many in the education industry.
On the evening of 30 April I sent a WhatsApp to the groups that I have been associated with, and told them that I think now is the time to form an official body to represent our interest. Obviously a larger body will carry more weight than a number of individual schools or small groups all trying to be heard.
While I started drawing up a document with all issues, having meetings with our members and other schools who wanted to join, Mr Iain Guthrie of St Pauls volunteered to handle the administrative matters of the formal body, the Association of Private Schools in Namibia (APSN). In the article (“Skool wil hoe toe oor vereniging”, Republikein, Friday 8 May 2020) Mr McKenzie said no one knew about the association and it seems that I made it up. This while his two principals were on the WhatsApp group all the time and responded to our discussions.
Mr McKenzie did send me a mail yesterday (Thursday), which was blocked by our mail filter, because it came from an unfamiliar address. Once a day, our IT people go into these mails and release what is appropriate. So I have received it at 09:50 this morning (Friday).
I did enlighten him on the details, and did tell him that, if I did not respond to his mail, I would have appreciated a phone call rather than addressing this issue in the media. WIS have now been removed from the group and will not form part of APSN.
I don’t understand why Mr Wouter Niehaus of NAPSO became part of the discussion in the article. I also do not know where he actually saw our list of members.
NAPSO represents a small group of private schools, and the schools in our group does not usually align with their conduct, which is the reason why we are not members of NAPSO.
I have been the representative for private schools on the Namibia Council of Education for the past two years. At council meetings it was specifically agreed that NAPSO is not a body representative of private schools in Namibia, as they have too few members.
Now that there is more than one association representing private schools, schools have the choice to align with the group they prefer. Just like we have different unions representing teachers – everyone decides what group they feel more comfortable with.
Mr Niehaus tries to give the impression that they would have brought the ultimate solution and that our association joining the discussion now slowed down the process until 20 May. We have in fact received an invitation for a meeting with all private schools on Tuesday, 12 May, and 18 of our school principals, from our group of 70 schools, will attend the meeting with me. I am sure that the Ministry just wanted a larger representation from private schools, and do not want to talk to all groups individually, in order to save time and energy. I am sure NAPSO should also receive such an invitation, and will not have to wait for 20 May to meet with the ED.
With regard to “our approach” that they totally disagree with, I assume this refers to the issue that I said I am so serious about this matter and will fight for it, even if it means going to court. This is of course also a last resort for us, and we are confident that we are making good progress in the handling of this situation, and that we will reach a good solution, together with the Ministry for ALL children in Namibia. Our comprehensive document, containing our concerns and proposals will be submitted to the Ministry of Education today (Friday).
In closing, I wish to say that this “side show” is really sorry to experience in this time, when we have a huge problem to address and solve, for the pure interest of the Namibian child. Forget about egos and own agendas and let us all make education in Namibia our priority.