Windhoek: Kavango West Education Chief Cultural Officer Paulus Katanga has emphasized that education should transcend textbooks to help learners understand their identity and cultural heritage. Katanga made these remarks on Friday during the Heritage Week celebrations at Bravel Mankumpi Primary School in Bravo Settlement, Mpungu Constituency. The event was themed 'Okupuika ovirumatua vyombazu yetu tee mayikaseka kozondekurona' which translates to 'Preserving Heritage for Future Generations'.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Katanga addressed learners, teachers, and community members, underscoring the importance of integrating culture into education. He stated that the school's involvement in Heritage Week should reinforce the connection between education and culture. "As educators, we recognise that education is not only about what learners learn from textbooks or in classrooms. Education should also help learners understand where they come from," Katanga asserted. He emphasized the need for learners to appreciate their identity and respect different cultures, which collectively form one society.

Katanga highlighted that heritage plays a crucial role in shaping identities and connecting individuals to their history, ancestors, communities, and the values that have been transmitted across generations. "Part of who we are carries a very important story. It connects us to our history, our ancestors, our communities, and the values that have been passed on from generation to generation," he elaborated.

He further explained that culture is manifested in everyday life through languages, traditional knowledge, customs, beliefs, and historical places. Katanga also pointed out the significance of the environment as a component of cultural heritage, noting that communities like Bravo are integral to the heritage that needs preservation.

In his address, Katanga urged schools to leverage Heritage Week as an opportunity to incorporate cultural elements into learning. He called upon the youth to assume responsibility for preserving their heritage, stating, "You are the future custodians of our heritage. What we preserve today will help you know where you come from and understand your history."

Echoing Katanga's views, Mpungu Circuit Education Inspector Petrus Shipepa emphasized the centrality of culture to people's identity. "Who we are, where we come from, and the traditions that have been passed down from one generation to another form an important part of our identity," Shipepa remarked. He advocated for utilizing language, traditional knowledge, music, food, clothing, stories, customs, and values to teach children the importance of appreciating and respecting their heritage.