Challenges facing Pre-Primary Mobile School Teachers in the teaching of Arts Education:

A case study of the Kunene Region of Namibia

Abstract

Arts education has been acknowledged as a subject that enhances holistic child development as it helps learners to develop skills in creative problem-solving, motor, language, social, decision-making, risk-taking and creativity. This study aimed at investigating challenges that pre-primary teachers experience in teaching arts education in resource-challenged, mobile schools in Kunene region as well as ways in which to enhance the prevailing practice of teaching and learning. The study employed a qualitative approach, using a case study research design. A total number of six pre-primary, mobile government schools: Three from Epupa and three from the Opuwo circuit respectively were purposively selected for the study. Interviews and observation were used to collect the requisite data while a purposive sampling technique was used to select the interviewees. The study found that, despite the growing importance of arts education, there are numerous challenges that are continuing to impact adversely on the effective teaching of arts education in pre-primary mobile schools in the Kunene region. These challenges include inadequate teaching and learning resources, teacher and socio-economic factors as well as financial constraints. Based on the study’s findings, we propose formal training workshops for teachers on arts, support from the regional office and other stakeholders as well as the appointment of advisory teachers for non-promotional subjects such as arts education as possible ways in which to overcome the challenges and improve the teaching of arts education in resource-challenged environments.