Special educational and training programmes for South West Africa

XVI. RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON THE REPORT OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
1705. Special educational and training programmes for South West Africa

The General Assembly, Considering that, among the policies pursued by the Republic of South Africa in the administration of the Territory of South West Africa under the Mandate, an important feature is to restrict the indigenous inhabitants to a rudimentary system of schooling and training designed to confine the people to menial occupations for the purpose of keeping them in a state of subservience to the European minority, Considering, in particular, that the South African Government: deprives South West Africans of access to a complete secondary education or to higher education within South West Africa or South Africa, and also denies them travel documents and other facilities for taking advantage of educational opportunities in other areas, Considering that it is one of the sacred duties of the United Nations to promote:

(a) Higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development,

(b) Solutions of international economic, social, health and related problems, and international cultural and educational co-operation,

Considering that the United Nations, in carrying out its duty under Article 55 of the Charter, has created machinery for economic, social and technical assistance and that substantial assistance has been rendered to peoples of the less developed countries, including peoples in colonial and Trust Territories, Recalling its resolution 1566 (XV) of 18 December 1960 in which it requested the assistance of the specialized agencies and of the United Nations Children's Fund in the economic, social and educational development of South West Africa, and its resolution 1527 (XV) of 15 December 1960 regarding assistance to former Trust Territories and other newly independent States, Recognizing, in particular, the urgent need to ensure the educational advancement of South West Africans beyond the limitations imposed by the Bantu educational system in force in South West Africa and South Africa, and to prepare them for service in the administration of their country, Recognizing that the indigenous inhabitants of South West Africa, whose country can appropriately be designated as being economically under-developed, have a legitimate right to receive benefits from the United Nations programmes of technical co-operation but, owing to the refusal of the Mandatory Power to co-operate and receive such assistance on their behalf, have not so far benefited from such programmes, Recognizing further that the United Nations has a special responsibility towards the inhabitants of the Mandated Territory,

1. Endorses the recommendations of the Committee on South West Africa that:

(a) A special intensive type of fellowship programme should immediately be organized to train the largest possible number of indigenous inhabitants of the Territory of South West Africa in the functions and techniques of administration and in the fields of economics, law, health and sanitation, and in such other fields as may be necessary;

(b) In addition, Member States should be invited to make available scholarships for study abroad by South West African students;

2. Decides to establish such a special training programme for South West Africans, including technical education, education for leadership and teacher training;

3. Requests the Secretary-General, in establishing such a special training programme for the indigenous people of the Territory, to make use as fully as possible of the existing United Nations programmes of technical co-operation, and particularly to make available to those indigenous inhabitants of the Territory who are and who may be temporarily residing in various countries and territories outside South West Africa the benefits of such programmes, with the consent and the co-operation of the host Governments;

4. Invites the specialized agencies to co-operate in the establishment and implementation of the special training programme mentioned above, by offering every possible assistance and such facilities and resources as they may be able to provide;

5. Invites Member States to make available, directly or through voluntary agencies, for the use of South West Africans all-expense scholarships both for the completion of secondary education and for various forms of higher education;

6. Requests Member States to inform the Secretary-General of any scholarships offered and of awards made and utilized;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to establish appropriate machinery for dealing with applications from South West Africans for education and training outside the Territory;

8. Requests Member States to facilitate the travel of South West Africans seeking to avail themselves of such educational opportunities;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to consult with the United Nations Special Committee for South West Africa[1] concerning the implementation of the present resolution, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its regular session.

1083rd plenary meeting,
19 December 1961.

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[1] See resolution 1702 (XVI) of 19 December 1961, para. 2.