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An interpretive analysis of Namibian education policy and its link to citizenship education: A reflection on my doctoral encounters
No full textThis book chapter presents the doctoral adventure and the influence of democratic citizenship education with a special focus on Namibian education policy. The journey comprised an interpretive study concerning Namibian education policy and its link to citizenship education. The primary intention on this doctoral journey was to present his discovery and understanding of the role of the new Namibian education policy, the National Curriculum for Basic Education 2015, in the development of democratic citizenship education. Furthermore, in this chapter, it reflects on strategies that are in place to ensure that learners in Namibia have access to democratic education. Moreover, the intent to reveal how the new Namibian education policy (i.e. the National Curriculum for Basic Education, 2015) contributes to democratic citizenship education. In addition, it aimed to discuss whether the new education policy would be effective in enhancing educational transformation in Namibia. In addition, a pragmatist interpretivist approach was used to conceptualise the progressive or transformative education that the new curriculum seeks to introduc
Factors associated with delay in starting anti-retroviral treatment among confirmed HIV positive individuals in state health facilities in Northern Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of public healthThe purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the delay in
starting anti-retroviral treatment (ART) among confirmed HIV-positive individuals in
Northern Namibia, specifically the four (4) districts of the UTAP region (Andara,
Nyangana, Oshikuku and Tsumeb). The study employed the time series analytical
(quantitative) research design that used secondary data retrieved from the Electronic
Patient Management System (ePMS) database. The characteristics of data obtained
from the ePMS included the Who-stage, age, gender, facility type, CD4 count and
District. The study’s population was 1824, and the sample size was 1824, as total
population sampling was used in this desktop analysis. Descriptive statistics were used
to help explore more on objectives one and two of the study. The multivariate (LOGIT)
regression model was used to ascertain factors behind the delay in starting the ART
among confirmed HIV+ individuals. The study’s results indicated that most confirmed
HIV+ individuals opted for an early ART start, whereby the age, facility, gender,
CD4+ counts were statistically significant. The highest rate of confirmed HIV+
patients starting ART on the same day was in March 2018 (86.3%), followed by June
2018 (80.3%) and February 2018 (80.3%).
The study recommended that treatment literacy for service providers and health care
workers on the importance of starting treatment early, enhanced counselling, support
for men by male champions, easy of access to ART as essential to ensure confirmed
HIV+ people to access the ART in time from day of diagnosis up to day seven. Also,
the cost-effectiveness of ART related services, such as decentaralization and
equipping of facililities equitably as relevant in reducing the delay in starting ART
initiatio
The association between disclosure and adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy among adolescents living with HIV in Windhoek, Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public HealthThe study was conducted in Windhoek, Khomas region, Namibia, focusing on adolescents
living with HIV aged 10-19 who had been receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) care for at
least six months between 2010 and 2021. It also included healthcare workers who had worked
in the ART department for at least six months during the data collection period. The primary
objective was to assess the association between disclosure (the process of revealing one's
HIV-positive status) and adherence to ART among adolescents living with HIV. A mixed method approach with an explanatory sequential design was employed. The quantitative
component used an unmatched case-control design with a 1:1 ratio, while the qualitative
component utilized an exploratory design to complement the quantitative analysis. The study
participants included 20 healthcare workers and 37 adolescents living with HIV who were on
ART care. Findings revealed that among adolescents with good adherence (≥90%), 76% had
been fully disclosed about their HIV-positive status, while 20% were partially disclosed. In
contrast, among adolescents with poor adherence (<90%), 92% had not been disclosed about
their HIV-positive status. Some adolescents who were fully disclosed learned about their
status accidentally. Caregivers of the adolescents and healthcare workers were the key
informants in disclosure and adherence aspect. The study recommends strengthening
disclosure programs through enhanced efforts by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
This includes training healthcare providers involved in the disclosure process, educating
parents/caregivers or guardians about the disclosure process and the skills required to conduct
it at home, ensuring equitable distribution of disclosure tools and equipment among health
facilities, and implementing standardized disclosure processes through Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines consistently across all health facilities nationwide. Future
research should explore factors that enable adolescents to accept their HIV-positive status
with reduced distress and examine their experiences during and after disclosure sessions,
including their psychosocial support needs. In summary, this study aimed to understand the
relationship between disclosure and adherence to ART among adolescents living with HIV in
Namibia and provided recommendations to improve the disclosure process and support for
these adolescent
Exploring community-led total sanitation as a mechanism to eliminate open-defecation: A case study of Havana informal settlement in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of public administrationThe study seeks to explore whether the newly adopted Community-Led Total
Sanitation can improve access to and use of latrines in the Havana informal settlement
as opposed to the current model of subsidised ablution facilities. Namibia has made
tremendous strides in improving sanitation, particularly in formal urban areas.
However, access to better sanitation and hygiene in informal urban areas remains
limited. The rapid expansion of the urban population due to rural-to-urban migration
has not been matched by an increase in urban infrastructure which includes housing,
water supply, sanitation, electricity as well as solid waste removal. Open-defecation is
frequent in these places, and hygiene education is lacking. Like most countries in the
third world, Namibia is faced with a sanitation crisis. The country has in the past
adopted various methodologies to address the crisis, of which the most popular is the
traditional subsidisation of ablution facilities. It has since dawned on the government
that the business-as-usual approach is not yielding the much-needed results to help the
country attain the sanitation component of Target 6 of the SGD. It is against this
background that the Namibian Government in 2016 piloted the Community-led total
sanitation approach to address the sanitation crisis and the elimination of open defecation for improved quality of life and for a healthy Namibia. The study employed
a mixed-methods research approach that included both quantitative and qualitative
methodologies. The study's population was made up of the inhabitants of Windhoek's
Havana Informal Settlement who were identified using systematic and judgmental
sampling approaches. Data was collected from inhabitants of Windhoek’s Havana
Informal Settlement, workers of the City of Windhoek, the Municipal Council and the
Shack Dwellers Federation through interviews and questionnaires. One hundred and
thirty people made up the sample. The study revealed that attempts to eliminate open defecation require a diverse strategy. Sanitation must be prioritised at a central
government level with enough budgetary resources to enable a change in hygiene
behaviour at a household level. The traditional subsidisation approach proves to be
inadequate in the attainment of open-defecation-free communities due to a lack of
financial resources and “merely” having a toilet does not guarantee its utilisation and
maintenance without the proper adjustment in hygienic behaviour. To achieve a
collective shift in hygiene behaviour, there is a need to strengthen community health
education inside communities through information dissemination and communicatio
Learning mathematics through parental support during COVID-19 pandemic: Teaching of Junior primary learners in Namibia
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused unexpected and sudden educational changes for
everyone involved, including learners, students, teachers, education officers, policymakers,
guardians and parents. Global associations have focused on their reactions in emergencies by
using elective methods of instruction. The usual face-to-face teaching and learning techniques
were supplanted by homeschooling and e-learning. Everyone involved in education had to
adjust to creative strategies. Most studies focused on teachers' and students' difficulties,
barriers and new challenges. However, parents were also given a new role, especially in the
junior primary phase (Pre-primary to Grade 3), as they were expected to assist by supporting
their children's school subjects, including mathematics. The critical problem explored was
the backlog in learners' understanding of mathematics concepts caused by learning
inequalities during the COVID-19 lockdown. During the COVID-19 lockdown, parents had
to support their children throughout the learning process—the current study aimed to
investigate how parents have been crucial in supporting their children's mathematics learning
at home.
The study was guided by the central question of how junior primary learners learnt
mathematics during the COVID-19 lockdown when supported by parents. The study used a
qualitative exploratory case study design. A purposive convenient sampling was used to
identify research participants. Participants were eighteen (18) Junior Primary teachers and
thirty (30) parents in the Khomas Region. Questionnaires were constructed and administered
to eighteen (18) teachers from three (3) schools in the Khomas region to explore how learners
learnt mathematics at home during the lockdown. Furthermore, individual semi-structured
interviews were conducted with thirty (30) parents about their experiences supporting their
children with mathematics at home. Thirty (30) learners' mathematics workbooks were
reviewed to analyse their progress in learning mathematics as their parents supported them at
home. The anticipated contribution of the study is to identify and document effective
strategies parents use to support their children’s mathematics learning at home, offering
recommendations for Namibian policymakers and educational practitioners to better support
parents as co-educators, especially during crises. It contributes to curriculum development by
incorporating parental involvement as a critical component in early mathematics education
and informs teacher training programs on engaging and collaborating with parents.
Additionally, the study adds to the existing body of research on the impact of parental
involvement in education, particularly in emergency remote learning
Knowledge among nurses and medical doctors on animal bite management and use of anti-rabies vaccines in the Omusati region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of public healthThis study investigated the knowledge of registered nurses and medical doctors on
animal bites management in the Omusati region, Namibia. This includes knowledge
of health care workers regarding wound care, administration of anti-rabies, and
administration of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis using a quantitative research method,
with a sample of 96 nurses and medical doctors. The research reveals significant
knowledge gaps and inconsistencies among registered nurses and medical doctors.
The findings show that while most respondents correctly identified immediate
washing with soap and water as the appropriate first step after an animal bite, there
were misunderstandings about subsequent wound management. Divergent responses
were observed regarding the appropriate vaccination site and schedule, with only a
minority of healthcare workers identifying the deltoid as the correct site and
recognizing the necessity of four doses in the post-exposure regimen. Concerning
eligibility criteria for PEP, a lack of consensus was found among registered nurses and
medical doctors. Misconceptions about Rabies Immunoglobulin administration sites
were also observed, with a significant number incorrectly suggesting the wound site
as the injection site. This study emphasizes the need for improved education, clear
guidelines, and standardized training among healthcare workers to address these issues
and optimize patient care and rabies control efforts. The findings have significant
implications for patient outcomes and public health initiatives aimed at controlling and
preventing the spread of rabies. Further studies are needed to develop effective
educational and training interventions to address these identified gaps and
misconception
An investigation on the role of secondary school teachers’ psychological capital and perceived supervisor support on job stress, in Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master in industrial psychologySecondary School teacher in Namibia have a substantial influence on the progression
of both the social and economic aspects of the community. However, in fulfilling
this responsibility, teachers in Namibia are confronted with numerous issues that
contribute to job stress. In order to identify possible measures to mitigate this issue,
the study’s purpose was to investigate the role of secondary school teacher’s
psychological capital and perceived supervisor support on job stress, in Windhoek,
Namibia. The study implemented the convenience sampling technique with a
participant pool of 263 teachers. Furthermore, the investigation utilised a quantitative
approach through the implementation of questionnaires. This included the use of the
Work Stress Questionnaire to measure job stress, the Compound Psychological
Capital Scale to assess psychological capital and the supervisor relations subscale
derived from the Antecedents Scale, to measure perceived supervisor support. Data
analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 29, wherein measures of internal
reliability, Pearson correlation and regression analysis were determined. The study
uncovered an insignificant correlation between psychological capital and job stress
(r= -.07, p>.05) This reveals that psychological capital is not associated with the
changes in the level of job stress. However, subsets of psychological capital, such as
hope (r=-.15, p<.05), and resilience were found to have a negative significant
correlation (r= -.15, p<.05); thus indicating that an increase in psychological capital
is associated with a decrease in job stress. Moreover, self-efficacy was observed to
have a negative significant relationship with the subsets of job stress, specifically
influence at work (r= -.20, p<.05) and individual demands and commitment (r=-.15,
p<.05), therefore, indicating that an increase in self-efficacy was associated with the
decrease in job stress dimensions influence at work and individual demands and
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commitment. The study also revealed that the most effective regression model for
intervention development is one that encompasses the subsets of psychological
capital and perceived supervisor support. Hence, the study provided
recommendations that foster psychological capital and perceived supervisor support
at individual level, organisational and regional level. It is further recommended that
further investigations should be carried out to obtain a comprehensive understanding
of other factors that could influence work-related stress, such as coping mechanisms
and leadership style
The role of records centres in the digital environment: A case study of records centres in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts in records and archives managementThe study investigated the role of records centres in the digital environment focusing on
Windhoek records centres. The study was guided by the records life cycle, records
continuum theory and records management standards. The philosophical foundation of
this study was the interpretivist paradigm which applied a qualitative approach. The study
adopted a multi-case study research design. The target population was 18 respondents,
purposively collected from three commercial records centres, which were Document
Warehouse, AGS Records Management and Phildou and six in-house records centres in
Windhoek, which were University of Namibia, Namibia University of Science and
Technology, NamPower, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Namcol and National
Archives of Namibia. A census was applied, hence, all nine records centres in Windhoek
were intended to take part in the study. However, only eight records centres granted
permission for the study to be conducted. The data collection was conducted by means of
face-to-face interviews comprising open-ended questions and then analysed using content
analysis. The findings of the study indicate that the services offered by the records centres
were storage and retrieval services of semi-current records. Furthermore, the study reveals
that some of the services had not changed in the digital environment. However, there were
new services such as hosting of e-records on the cloud, scanning and using the electronic
document management system. The study could not conclusively determine if policies
and guidelines were fully integrated into ICTs. The study discovered challenges faced by
records centres, such as transitioning in terms of human and financial resource needs,
digital obsolescence, and a lack of adequate equipment to meet the digitalisation of
records. The study recommends that records centres should train staff members on
electronic records management practices and create digital archival repositorie
Psychological distress, anxiety, depression and suicide ideation in women with breast cancer in Windhoek
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master’s in Nursing ScienceBreast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide and the most
common cancer diagnosed in women. Additionally, it is the most prevalent malignancy
among African women. In Namibia, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer in
women between 2010 and 2014, accounting for 1,579 cases, and constituted for 27.4% of
all female cancer cases. Psychological distress is a normal response to a cancer diagnosis
and its treatment. However, psychological distress often goes unrecognized and untreated
in breast cancer patients due to priority given to the physical aspects of the disease.
Psychological distress exists in the form of natural feelings of vulnerability, melancholy,
and dread to more serious ailments including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, social
isolation, and existential and spiritual crises. Distress and a psychological condition such
as anxiety or depression exist on a continuum. Anxiety is prevalent in a cancer patient
during critical events, such as the beginning of a new cancer treatment, receiving a
recurrence diagnosis, or advancement of the illness. Depression is frequently cited as a
psychological side effect of cancer, and it is one of the most researched psychological
experiences. To the researcher's knowledge, there have been studies on psychological
distress, anxiety and depression in Namibia, however, there are no studies in Namibia that
have specifically focused on suicidal ideation in women with breast cancer. This study
aimed to explore the levels of psychological distress, anxiety, depression, and suicide
ideation among women diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as the relationships between
the variables. The research employed a quantitative, correlational, descriptive, and cross sectional design. Three self-report instruments and a self-designed sociodemographic
questionnaire were utilized. These instruments included the Hospital Anxiety and
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Depression Scale (HADS) to assess the levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, the
Emotion Thermometer (ET) to screen for psychological distress, and the Columbia–
Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to assess suicide ideation. SPSS (version 29) was
used to analyse the data. The levels of psychological distress, anxiety, depression, and
suicide ideation are described through descriptive statistics, that is, means, standard
deviations, range of scores, and frequencies. The study involved 101 participants.
Approximately 27.7% and 32.6% had significant levels of depression and anxiety,
respectively. Approximately 47.5% (from the total ET score) displayed mild to severe
levels of psychological distress, 30.7% had significant levels of psychological distress
from the total HADS score, and 12.9% of the participants reported suicidal ideation.
Strong positive correlations were identified between anxiety (measured by HADS-A) and
depression (measured by HADS-D) (r = 0.64 , n = 101, p < 0.01). Additionally, significant
strong positive correlations were observed between anxiety (measured by HADS-A) and
psychological distress (total ET score) (r = 0.72 , n = 101, p < 0.01), and between
depression (measured by HADS-D) and psychological distress (total ET score) (r = 0.52,
n = 101, p < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant, strong, positive correlation existed between
anxiety (measured by HADS-A) and suicide ideation (r = 0.53, n = 101, p < 0.01), while
there was a significant, moderate, positive correlation between depression (measured by
HADS-D) and suicide ideation (r = 0.34, n = 101, p < 0.01). Finally, there was also a
significant, strong, positive correlation between psychological distress (total ET score)
and suicide ideation (r = 0.50, n =101, p < 0.01). The study's findings align with global
literature concerning the psychological challenges faced by women living with breast
cancer. Given the prevalence of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, psychological
distress, and suicidal ideation in this sample, the study advocates for psychological
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interventions for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Distress can be minimized by
having a supportive family, social networks, and access to beneficial knowledge. Anxiety,
depression and suicide ideation are mental health conditions that in severe cases requires
evidence-based treatments. Psychotherapy or medication can be used to manage and treat
symptoms. Furthermore, it is recommended that future research in Namibia consider
qualitative approaches to better understand women's unique experiences with breast
cance
Anti-unmanned aerial vehicle detection system for airports: Aviation and national security perspective
No full textUnmanned Aerial Vehicles gained significant popularity in the last decade as dem onstrated by their wide usage in various fields. From around the year 2001, the
usage of unmanned aerial vehicles’ technology was mainly confined to law en forcement agencies such as the military, police, and customs. In the contemporary,
terrorists have also been observed to be using unmanned aerial vehicles to attack
aviation facilities. The current paper examines the levels of vulnerability of the
Namibian airports to possible intrusion and attack from unmanned aerial vehicles, a
situation that could pose a serious threat to aviation and national security. Adopting
a qualitative research approach, the study made use of a questionnaire and semi structured interview guide to collect primary data from the participants. Microsoft
Excel was used to analyse the data. The study establishes that Namibian airports
are prone to attacks from unmanned aerial vehicles as there are no anti-unmanned
aerial vehicle detection systems installed at all airports in the country. Thus, there is
clear evidence that the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority and the Namibian Airport
Company’s regulations and policies on aviation safety and security did not prioritise
the installation of anti-unmanned aerial vehicle detection systems at all airports in
Namibia. The paper suggests that, in order to enhance aviation safety and security,
a joint civil/military Information Technology Unit, responsible for spoofing, detec tion, and the monitoring of illicit unmanned aerial vehicle operations should be
set up and operations activated at all airports and other public infrastructures in
Namibi