Education ministry backs school’s hostel food ban as parents raise hunger concerns

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture says while there is no policy prohibiting pupils from bringing food to school hostels, the Basic Education Act allows individual schools to set their own rules.

This follows a decision by Leevi Hakusembe Secondary School in the Kavango West region to ban pupils from bringing food to the hostel, citing low turnout at the dining hall.

School principal Amandus Hamutenya last month said large amounts of prepared food are being wasted as pupils opt to eat their own food instead of school meals.

Parents of pupils at the school last month said their children complain of hunger, adding that the food provided by the hostel is not enough.

Parents have requested the education ministry to look into the matter.

The ministry’s executive director, Erastus Haitengela, says the act allows school leadership to take measures that are in the best interests of the pupils and the school environment.

He says it prevents wasting resources provided by the government.

“The school’s decision is a deliberate and strategic intervention aligned with the ministerial strategic plan for 2025 to 2030, which prioritises the provision of an inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy learning environment,” he says.

“It is important to note that this was not a unilateral decision by the school principal, but rather a consensus reached during engagements with parents to ensure uniformity and stakeholder support.”

He says the ban is important to promote social equity as some pupils cannot afford food items, adding that food stored in the hostel was attracting pests, including cockroaches, and improper disposal of plastic and bottle caps contributed to frequent blockages in the plumbing systems.

“The ministry supports this intervention as a necessary and restorative measure aimed at promoting cleanliness, discipline and the overall psychological well-being of all pupils. It ensures that no pupil feels disadvantaged on the basis of their socioeconomic background,” Haitengela says.

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