Döbra school ‘punishes pupils for their sins’

ST JOSEPH’S High School at Döbra has allegedly asked that pupils not interact or talk to two of their schoolmates who were previously expelled over having formed a pentecostal prayer group.

understands that apart from being isolated, the two Grade 12 pupils of the Roman Catholic Church school, both aged 17, are not allowed into the dining hall nor allowed to sleep in the hostel.

This is allegedly their punishment for forming a pentecostal prayer group and erecting an altar on the school grounds with four other pupils who have since been expelled.

The school is owned by the Roman Catholic Church, and is situated about 20 kilometres outside Windhoek.

The Namibian in January reported that six Grade 12 girls were expelled for allegedly holding prayers and ‘prophesying’ on the school grounds, a situation that angered the Catholic school’s administration.

Since the expulsion, four of the girls have been admitted to other schools, while the two girls have been allowed to return to the school, provided that they do not sleep at the hostel.

is in possession of a letter dated 6 February from one of the pupils’ mother to the board, where she begged the school to forgive her daughter for joining a pentecostal prayer group, and asking that they allow her back into the hostel.

However, the child’s German donor, Marthina Schwardmann, yesterday told that the school refuses to forgive the pupil and doesn’t want to allow her into the hostel, despite a school board directive that she should be allowed to return.

“Apart from that, she is not allowed to talk to or interact with her schoolmates, or join them for meals. Imagine the psychological effect this has on a young child. It will ultimately negatively affect her studies,” she said.

Schwardmann stated that she was forced to consult lawyer Unomuinjo Katjipuka-Sibolile of Nixon Marcus public law office last week to assist her in her legal fight to get the girl back into the hostel.

She added that the pupil’s mother has to pay between N$500 to N$600 for her taxi fare per month, while the other pupil has to walk to school from Windhoek every day.

Schwardmann said the school accepted her payment of N$7 500 for her hostel fees in advance, including accommodation and meals, but did not want to refund her money when they expelled the girl from the hostel.

“The school does not want to refund my N$7 500, and yet they do not want her to return to the hostel either. That is fraud,” she charged.

A letter written by lawyer Katjipuka-Sibolilie last week demanded that the girl be readmitted into the hostel, or else they will have no choice but to approach the courts.

Katjipuka-Sibolile yesterday said the Catholic school was acting against its own moral and religious values by expelling pupils for holding prayers, and punishing them for it.

A letter in possession of The Namibian dated 1 February from the school board chairperson Cassius Moeti reveals that the board had instructed that the school temporarily readmit the girls into the hostel, but school principal Elfriede Mahua-Masule had failed to comply with that directive.

The school’s hostel superintendent, Bajo Nepembe, yesterday confirmed that the school had not readmitted the pupils into the hostel, but declined to comment further. A member of the school board, Hilya Herman, declined to comment.

Mahua-Masule and Moeti could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Education permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp said at the time that no school or principal could expel a pupil. She explained that only the permanent secretary could expel a pupil after investigating and finding the pupil on the wrong side of school rules. Steenkamp was not reachable yesterday.

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