Ondangwa:Member of Parliament Willem Amutenya has called on educators in the Onankali Circuit to focus on equipping learners with essential life skills alongside academic knowledge.According to Namibia Press Agency, Amutenya emphasized the importance of teaching skills such as emotional intelligence, financial discipline, communication, and relationship management. He made these remarks at the Onankali Circuit staff conference held at Ekamuti, stressing that education should prepare young Namibians not only for examinations but also for everyday life challenges.Amutenya, drawing on his experience as a former teacher, highlighted the critical role educators play as learners spend a significant part of their formative years in school. He pointed out that academic knowledge alone is insufficient to prepare learners for real-world challenges like managing finances, handling rejection, resolving conflicts, and maintaining healthy relationships.Addressing serious issues such as assault, rape, and gender-based violence in the Oshikoto Region, Amutenya urged schools to play a vital role in tackling these problems through education. He advocated teaching respect, empathy, patience, tolerance, responsibility, and emotional control.He further stressed that every staff member in a school contributes to a learner's education and that the culture within schools acts as a curriculum itself. Amutenya encouraged principals to foster positive school environments, support teachers, and promote teamwork while urging teachers to continually advance their professional skills in response to evolving technology, artificial intelligence, and labor market demands.Despite challenges like limited resources, infrastructure needs, and budget constraints, Amutenya called on the education sector to take ownership of improving schools. He motivated Onankali educators to return to their schools with renewed purpose to shape learners into responsible citizens who can contribute to their communities and Namibia.