WIMSA's Education and Training Achievements
1994-2004

During the Decade, WIMSA has undertaken many important initiatives in relation to educational issues.
Just a few of the San and WIMSA's achievements are outlined below:

•  WIMSA supports all stages of education:

•  Pre-school and Primary: WIMSA begins support to San pre-schools in the Omaheke Region and eastern Namibia (1998 onwards). Pre-school education and primary distance learning are also provided for San children living at WIMSA's project ‘! K hwa ttu' in South Africa . (2003) . San educational is also addressed in the Omaheke Region , Namibia by the newly established and WIMSA-supported Omaheke San Trust (1999). West Tsumkwe pre-school programme is supported by WIMSA and ‘ Ada Om- K hâigu' kindergarten is established by the Hai||om y outh in Tsumkwe , Namibia . Three San students begin a pilot Early Childhood Development course managed by the National Early Childhood Development Association in Namibia (NECDA) ( PHOTO??)

•  Secondary and tertiary education : San role models visit secondary schools (2003). A Namibian Minister promises financial assistance for San learners who qualify for tertiary education (1997). WIMSA assists young Namibian San to enrol in the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) in order to complete their secondary schooling (1998) and the first Graduation of a supported San student from Windhoek College of Education takes place (2003). WIMSA also launches a San Student Council, consisting of 15 Namibian and 3 Botswanan students (2003). PHOTO: JOHN?

•  Representation at Namibian Educational Forums: WIMSA is one of the main stakeholders of the new InterSectoral Task Force on Educationally Marginalised Children (ITFEMC) in Namibia (1996) and also becomes a member of the NECDA (2000).

•  Language Development begins : A workshop is held on the revision of the Ju|'hoansi dictionary (2001). Materials for K hwedam and !Xun languages are created following workshops (2002) along with the development of an orthography for the N|u language (2003). The Namibian K hwedam Committee and Botswana K hwe and Ju|'hoansi Committees hold a workshop on literacy skills for adults (2004).

•  Research leads to SASEF: A long-term project looking into the educational situation of all San children in Botswana , Namibia and South Africa is launched by WIMSA (1998 onwards). The first phase of research is summarised in a book, explaining the scale of the problem and entitled ‘Torn Apart'. Following consultation about the findings, the First Regional San Education Conference takes place in Namibia and recommends that WIMSA should establish a Southern African San Education Forum (SASEF); Its first meeting takes place in Namibia and its second in South Africa, where the members focus on literacy and language development (2003). (PHOTO - SCAN COVER

•  Penduka works towards unity: Pan-Regional conferences on San educational issues are held by WIMSA at ‘Penduka', Windhoek , Namibia . ‘Penduka I' concentrates on the standardisation of the Ju and K hoe languages. San delegates agree the ‘Penduka Declaration' which states that the !Xun will adopt the same alphabet as the Ju|'hoansi and that K hwedam will have an adjusted and more practical alphabet. The San also reject the term ‘ K hoisan' as the cultures of San and K hoi are different (2001). ‘Penduka II' addresses the overall obstacles facing the effective education of San children and delegates agree that San heritage and traditional knowledge are a valuable resource which must begin to be be utilised in education (2004). (PHOTO – PENDU K A)

•  Issues affecting San youth are addressed: A San ‘Youth Mobilisation and Training Programme' is established, along with Hai||om Youth Leagues in Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Oshivelo and Otavi , Namibia (2003). A ‘Hai||om Youth League Network' is set up with over 60 Namibian Hai||om youth being actively involved in their communities. A Hai||om Youth Festival is also held in Outjo , Namibia in order to celebrate the revival of Hai||om culture. K hwe Youth Leagues are also established in Caprivi , Namibia and WIMSA provides advice to K hwe, !Xun and ‡ K homani youth in South Africa (2004).