Focusing on digital skill development

The TUCSIN school system has changed!
Desiree Gases
It is normal that there is uncertainty and discontent when change happens. Most of this is because people just do not understand the changes. A major source of discontent is due to poor communication of the vision which resulted in the changes. The school system has now changed. In the past, learners could sit for their ordinary examination in grade 12. Since 2021, this ordinary level examination has been moved to grade 11. “The current grade 12 is merely a university entrance examination, if I may reduce it like that,” Cliff Olivier, the director of The University Centre for Studies in Namibia (TUCSIN) said. The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the International University of Management (IUM) still accept students with O-level results as they have done in the past. Many of the high achieving graduates from TUCSIN have been accepted at these universities with grade 11 results. “At least one of the private schools that I know of allowed their learners to take the ordinary level examinations in grade 11 and those who wanted could take the higher-level examinations in grade 12,” Olivier said. This puts less strain on the education system and, if managed well, it can be a step forward. It is, however, necessary to manage the transition well. There should be clear and continuous communication to the public and an office that can respond to all the questions. During this transition, there should also be more leniency to learners to allow them to return to advanced subsidiary (AS) level at formal schools after upgrading their grade 11 results. If one considers the high unemployment in our country, particularly the university graduates and the vocational training centre graduates, it is clear that our industries cannot absorb all the graduates produced by tertiary institutions. The training and opportunities have not enabled graduates to start their own businesses. The TUCSIN board of trustees has responded to these forces and will develop a TUCSIN technical high school with a strong science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focus on digital skill development. They will develop prevocational digital skills in fields such as robotics, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, etc. TUCSIN hopes to have its first intake in 2023. “We welcome any institution who would like to collaborate with us on this as it is a field that is too big for just one organisation to handle. It should become the DNA of our education system as that is what will help our country to develop,” Olivier added. In order for learners to qualify at TUCSIN, it’s important to meet the following criteria: For AS level, the following learners qualify: Former Grade 12 (higher level legacy) learners. Grade 12 (AS level) learners. Grade 11 learners who achieved a C symbol or higher at O-level. For grade 11, the following learners may apply: Grade 11 (new curriculum) learners who want to improve results. Former Grade 10 (old curriculum) learners. Former Grade 12 (legacy) learners. Grade 12 (AS level) learners who need to improve an O-level result.