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“We Now Understand How to Teach MIL,” say Educators Trained by UNESCO
Teachers and education officers from across Namibia are stepping into a new era of teaching with renewed confidence and skills, following a three-day Training of Trainers workshop recently held in Otjiwarongo. The workshop, supported by UNESCO in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, brought together 17 participants including Information and Communication (IC) teachers, Senior Education Officers, and officials from the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED).
Participants were trained on how to effectively implement the Junior Secondary IC curriculum, with a strong focus on Media and Information Literacy (MIL). The training highlighted the importance of equipping learners with the skills needed to navigate today’s digital world, think critically, and engage responsibly in online spaces.
“IC education is very important because it teaches our learners the new skills required for this day and age. With this workshop, we were really empowered by the new technologies out there. Especially the part on AI, it was really an eye opener to see how many benefits it offers, and how it can positively transform how our learners learn,” said a participant from the Hardap Region, teaching at Danie Joubert Combined School.
Through interactive sessions and practical exercises, the workshop helped participants gain a deeper understanding of the revised IC curriculum and the newly developed teacher manual. The goal was not only to introduce the content, but also to build a network of trainers who can cascade their knowledge to colleagues in other schools and regions.
“UNESCO’s participation, in coordination with NIED, is assisting us to implement the curriculum correctly by training teachers to understand the curriculum and the specific objectives in the syllabus. We are also developing materials using free AI tools to address the lack of resources in schools,” said Claudia Maritsane, a Senior Education Officer at NIED.
Participants acknowledged the value of being part of a learning community that promotes innovative approaches to teaching and encourages the creative use of digital tools in the classroom.
In today’s digital world, MIL is a critical skill that learners need to be equipped with so that they can navigate their way around the digital space. And therefore, it was very necessary to have this workshop and ensure that teachers are capacitated with the necessary skills that they would need to effectively integrate the MIL education into the Namibian IC curriculum, said Fenni Namutenya from UNESCO.
As teachers return to their respective schools, they carry with them the tools and inspiration to foster informed, curious and digitally literate learners, paving the way for a more empowered generation. The knowledge and skills gained through the training are expected to influence how the IC subject is taught, making learning more engaging and relevant for today’s learners.
This important step forward reflects UNESCO’s continued commitment to supporting quality education and digital inclusion in Namibia, by ensuring that educators are well prepared to guide learners toward a more informed and responsible future.
