Pupils at Cuba Primary School in Windhoek will have to continue sharing facilities with Dr Abraham Iyambo Primary School for the foreseeable future as the construction of their own school is ongoing.
Located at the Havana informal settlement, Cuba Primary School was established in 2023 to reduce overcrowding at Dr Abraham Iyambo Primary School. The completion of construction was initially slated for 2024.
Khomas director of education Paulus Nghikembua says they expect the new school to be completed this year.
“We are quite positive that it will be completed soon. We expect it to be completed within the course of this year and for the pupils to move in,” he says.
Nghikembua says the large pupil population prompted the establishment of the new school and the implementation of the double-shift system, saying it is uncommon to have more than 2 500 pupils at one school.
“Because of the need we had, we had to opt for two shifts – one in the morning and one in the afternoon,” he says.
Cuba Primary School currently accommodates 1 329 pupils and 43 teachers, while Dr Abraham Iyambo Primary School has 1 480 pupils.
The pupils of Dr Abraham Iyambo Primary School start at 06h45 and their classes end at 12h00.
Cuba Primary School pupils start their school day at 12h30 and end at 16h30.
Founding principal Wilhelm Samuel describes the circumstances, including a lack of permanent classrooms, as challenging.
“Grade 1 to Grade 3 pupils are accommodated in containers and tent classes due to the limited space,” he says.
Despite the difficulties, the pupils have shown resilience.
The school’s pass rate stands at 53.8%, with pupils excelling in English but facing challenges in mathematics. Samuel says they are committed to improving outcomes through learning support programmes.
“It is somehow a challenge, but these difficult circumstances should not be a reason for us not to perform.
Cuba Primary School will still come out as a winner,” the principal stated, noting that they have initiatives in place to help pupils.
Samuel also says the pupils face further challenges as many are from ultra-low income households. The school feeding programme caters to most of the pupils.
“We are cognisant of our pupils’ social conditions and have taken on the responsibility of mitigating the challenges, among others, through the provision of stationery and meals,” he stated.
Approached for comment, the executive director in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, says the double-shift system is necessary given the high demand for education in the region.
“It is a common practice worldwide under such circumstances,” she says. – Nampa
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