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Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - Web posted at 7:22:33 GMT Urbanisation blamed for school shortages at Walvis, Swakop MAGGI BARNARDTHE massive influx of job seekers to Walvis Bay will continue to cause severe school placement problems at the coast unless more schools are built, one principal says. |
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The Walvis Bay Mayor reported last year that the town's population had tripled since 1994, from 28 000 to 60 000. With an influx of more than 160 people per month, at least seven classes of Grade 1 pupils could not be accommodated at existing schools yesterday on the first day of the new academic year. Schools reported that they had between 30 and 70 Grade 1 pupils on waiting lists, while Grade 8 and 11 classes were being stretched as far as possible. Many had to be shown away. By midday yesterday, The Namibian struggled to speak to principals, as they were still dealing with parents desperately looking for places for their children. The Swakopmund Secondary School had already placed 47 pupils per class, with many parents still begging for a place. A teacher said it was impossible to go beyond that number. The Immanuel Ruiters Primary School at Walvis Bay had filled its seven Grade 1 classes and its waiting list numbered over 70. "People are drawn to good schools," said the principal, Hedwig Mandean. Other schools had no option but to add classes. Wentworth Mouton of De Duine Secondary School at Walvis Bay said he still had to turn away many pupils after adding an extra class each for Grades 9 and 10. "My school is overflowing. We cannot take any more." John Awaseb, Acting Regional Director of the Khorixas Educational Region, said his office would monitor the situation until Friday and then decide whether to institute double shifts at some Walvis Bay schools. He said although an afternoon session was not ideal at the coast because of the weather, it was one way of dealing with the shortage. "We cannot have Grade 1 and 8 pupils staying at home because they could not find place." Paul Fisher, principal of Narraville Primary at Walvis Bay, attributed the high demand on urbanisation. Most principals indicated that while most of their pupils had returned, there was a marked increase in applications from other regions. Fisher said more schools would have to be built in urban areas to keep up with the influx. "There is no place to expand my school. There is hardly place left for the children to play." The Acting Director said it was difficult for the Ministry to keep up with urbanisation. He said the extension of two secondary schools at the coast was planned for next year. "But first we would have to find funding." He said the problem was that most donors focused on building schools in rural areas. The two new primary schools that opened their doors at the two coastal towns last year have not brought much relief. Another solution would be to upgrade schools in rural areas, says Awaseb. "We are trying our best to improve standards at rural schools in order to keep children there." He added that many parents tried their luck at good schools in urban centres. "If they can't find a place, they take the children back to the rural areas. Parents also contribute to the problem, feels De Duine's principal. "Parents do not file applications in time," he said. He added that by October last year, 220 Grade 7 pupils at Walvis Bay had not applied for placement in Grade 8. |
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