Chaos at schools: no space ‘for hundreds’

HUNDREDS of prospective pupils were turned away at schools in Windhoek and in the North yesterday as they made a last-minute effort to find places.

As usual, chaos is expected to reign today on the year’s first school day as authorities try to find solutions to the perennial problem of classroom shortages. “It is very hectic here.We have long queues of Grade 10 repeaters,” said Augustineum Secondary School head, Beatrice Losper.The Ondangwa East Directorate said all their schools had filled their vacancies for Grade 11 by January 12.A large number of Grade One, Eight and 11 pupils will be stranded in the first week of the term as the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture tries to find space for them.Around 350 Grade 11 students in the Ondangwa East Region were still searching for places yesterday.Hundreds of others who graduated from the Namibian College of Open Learning (Namcol) as part-time learners and want to go to school full-time were shown the door.Ondangwa East Education Inspector, Hinyengwa Shikufinde, said today and tomorrow will be crucial days for the placement of students.Shikufinde said school heads had been instructed to replace registered students who fail to turn up with those seeking places.A waiting list of 349 learners has also distributed among schools in the Ondangwa East educational region.The region’s two private schools – Odibo Secondary School and Oshigambo High School – have space for more students but are too expensive for rural communities in the North.In Windhoek, hundreds of Grade 11 pupils are expected to storm the Katutura Youth International Hostel today in the hope of finding a school.Schools in the Central Region held a meeting last week where it was decided that the placement of students be co-ordinated from the youth hostel.Principals at some Windhoek schools told The Namibian yesterday that they had a lot of over-aged Grade 10 repeaters knocking on their doors.They said only those under the age of 17 would be allowed back into full-time school for Grade 10.”It is very hectic here. We have long queues of Grade 10 repeaters,” said Augustineum Secondary School head, Beatrice Losper. The Ondangwa East Directorate said all their schools had filled their vacancies for Grade 11 by January 12. A large number of Grade One, Eight and 11 pupils will be stranded in the first week of the term as the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture tries to find space for them. Around 350 Grade 11 students in the Ondangwa East Region were still searching for places yesterday. Hundreds of others who graduated from the Namibian College of Open Learning (Namcol) as part-time learners and want to go to school full-time were shown the door. Ondangwa East Education Inspector, Hinyengwa Shikufinde, said today and tomorrow will be crucial days for the placement of students. Shikufinde said school heads had been instructed to replace registered students who fail to turn up with those seeking places. A waiting list of 349 learners has also distributed among schools in the Ondangwa East educational region. The region’s two private schools – Odibo Secondary School and Oshigambo High School – have space for more students but are too expensive for rural communities in the North. In Windhoek, hundreds of Grade 11 pupils are expected to storm the Katutura Youth International Hostel today in the hope of finding a school. Schools in the Central Region held a meeting last week where it was decided that the placement of students be co-ordinated from the youth hostel. Principals at some Windhoek schools told The Namibian yesterday that they had a lot of over-aged Grade 10 repeaters knocking on their doors. They said only those under the age of 17 would be allowed back into full-time school for Grade 10.