2nd National Conference on Orphans and Other ... - FHI 360

Let taxpayers contribute a percentage to an
emergency fund for schools with a high rate
of OVC
Educate/inform communities/leaders
Expand school feeding programme
Standardise and subsidise school uniforms
Revise the national HIV/AIDS policy, charter
and mass campaign
School OVC committee to realise Circle of
Support
CSG – training (include networking skills)
Child workshops
SB training
Training for school principals, teachers,
hostel staff etc.
All training (professional, community etc.)
should include OVC
All school-based training should also include
community members
All training on other topics should have a
component on OVC
Capacitate schools and other educational
institutions to become proactive in circles of
support for OVC by means of:
OVC school committee (for funds, networking,
material and PSS needs)
School Development Fund and <strong>National</strong>
Education Development Fund
social mobilisation (linked to dissemination
of policies etc.)
training/empowerment of principals,
school boards, caregivers
child-to-child support
<strong>National</strong> ECD fund to take OVC needs into
account
Consensus on School Development Fund:
Quality education needs money
Money has to be collected equitably
Exemption procedures must be changed
A state fund and community funds in order
to guarantee universal and free education
Questions and comments on Group 5 report-back
Question: Should we not also be talking about
access to safe schools and not only to quality
education? OVC are more vulnerable to abuse
and more powerless to speak out about it. The
Abt study report (handout) makes reference to
physical and sexual abuse in the education
sector – perpetrated by learners and teachers.
Did the group discuss this issue and how we can
address it? It is very important to address it in
responding to the OVC issue.
Answer (Claudia Tjikuua): This is true. The
study has shown that OVC, especially orphans,
are more at risk of abuse, and also HIV/AIDS
and other illnesses due to the abuse. We should
amend the group objectives so as to ensure that
OVC have access to quality education in a safe
and conducive environment, rather than amend
the strategy or recommendations, because our
specific mandate was to look at quality education
and our strategy addresses only that. Also,
the terms of reference of the Circles of Support
could take this issue on board, with all service
providers safeguarding the safety of OVC.
Answer (Silke Felton): I think a safe environment
is part of quality education, so we do not
necessarily need to amend the objective. I agree
that the Circles of Support should be mandated
to help ensure a safe environment for OVC.
Question: How feasible is it to establish the
recommended education development fund in
the near future? Our Constitution guarantees free
primary education for all. Therefore, should our
emphasis not rather be on enforcing, lobbying
and pressurising decision-makers and political
office-bearers to make primary education free in
the true sense of the word, while in the meantime
we work towards establishing this fund?
Answer (Claudia Tjikuua): The group had a
heavy debate on the fee exemption issue. While
there is a right to free education, the caregivers
should also be given some responsibility for the
children’s education. The Circles of Support will
enable us to identify OVC, and in the process
of identifying them, the circles will already be
exempting them. The circles will be responsible
for identifying the OVC, proposing exemptions
and applying for grants to supplement the School
Development Fund and grants to cover other
needs of OVC. We propose this arrangement
rather than asking the Government to do away
with the School Development Fund. The group
74 <strong>2nd</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children – Windhoek, Namibia, 25-27 June 2002: Full Report