Eros school has white reputation to uphold – principal

MATTY KAMINZI and SHELLEYGAN PETERSEN THE principal of Eros Primary School, Jacobina Hamata, believes the school has a ‘white reputation’ to uphold, which makes it desirable for parents to pay school fees.

This comes after parents complained that pupils are charged different amounts for placement at the school.

Hamata said the previously white-owned primary school has a reputation to uphold and cannot afford to shatter it, but should rather build on it with funds received.

“Sorry to say this, but this is a formerly white school with a strong foundation, and we cannot break it. We need to build on it. Why do you think parents bring their children to our school?” Hamata said.

She mentioned not only Eros Primary School, but also Windhoek High School (WHS), Suiderhof Primary School, and Pionierspark Primary School are popular, because of the schools’ white history.

Efforts to reach the schools for comment on Hamata’s statements proved futile.

Hamata said Eros Primary School was selected to be a “cluster centre” for other schools in Windhoek.

“The primary schools under Eros are Gammams Primary School, Moses van der Byl Primary School, Baumgartsbrunn Primary School, Windhoek Christian Academy and others,” she said.

The Eros school saw numerous white principals over the years and was established in 1957.

It celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2017.

Hamata said pupils who transfer from private schools are charged an amount of N$3 000 once-off for placement, while the parents of children from public schools are charged N$2 000.

She said pupils who are enrolled at the school already pay N$1 000 at the end of every term.

These amounts were decided on by the pupils’ parents, together with the school’s board and management, Hamata said.

This came after the government in 2013 announced education at all public schools are free.

Despite receiving funds, Hamata said it is not enough to sustain the school’s administration and infrastructure.

“It is easy to say the government does not provide, but if we look at the money we are getting, we will not survive,” she said.

The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture pays Eros Primary School N$130 per pupil annually, which means the school receives at least N$200 330 for 1 541 pupils.

Hamata said it costs N$3 million per year to sustain the school.

Additional funding is collected through parents’ compulsory contributions, as well as through rent from the school’s sport grounds, which is estimated to be N$1 541 000 and at least N$100 000, respectively.

The school board has decided to start placing advertisements on the walls along Robert Mugabe Avenue to make extra money.

In its white days, Eros Primary School used to receive money from billboards on the school’s property.

Executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp said there are no compulsory fees, but each school’s board, management and parents can decide to ask contributions.

Steenkamp then referred to Hamata for further explanation.

Hamata said additional toilet blocks were recently built at the school, and classrooms were tiled.

This was funded by parents’ contributions towards the betterment of the school.

This plan was, however, interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The funds were redirected to tiling classrooms to reduce the amount of dust in classes and provide for better circulation of air.

“The ministry gave no money for tiling or for cutting the benches in two to allow for social distancing. We did that out of our own,” Hamata said.

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