Land disputes delay school infrastructure projects in Hardap and ||Kharas, says deputy minister

Deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti says land-related disputes between local authorities and the government in the Hardap and ||Kharas regions are delaying the completion of several school infrastructure projects.

Speaking during an update on capital spending projects in parliament on Thursday, Ballotti said while most education infrastructure projects are advancing as planned, projects at Marmer and Oranjemund are stalled due to unresolved land disputes.

“It is inconceivable that nearly 36 years post-independence, we are still negotiating with local authorities for land to build public schools,” he said.

“This can’t be accepted and I will personally name and shame any local authority demanding a fee for land where the intention is to build schools to cater for their very own youth constituents.”

The challenge comes at a time when classrooms are overcrowded and schools face infrastructure shortages.

Ballotti said there is slow progress at Mix Primary School in the Khomas region, Tubusis Primary School in the Daures constituency and new hostel facilities at the Onkumbula Combined School in the Oshikoto region.

The deputy minister noted that there are 508 capital projects across the country, with 300 classrooms and 168 pre-primary facilities under construction to ease pressure on existing schools and improve access to education.

“Most sites are at advanced construction stages and are expected to reach practical completion by May,” Ballotti said.

Twenty-nine large capital projects are also underway countrywide, aimed at expanding education infrastructure across all 14 regions.

He said construction works at Oshikunde Combined School, Otjomuise Primary School, and Kamanjab Resource School have shown progress and are near completion.

“Two hostel facilities at Onamutai in Oshana and Oshakati South Primary School are both at documentation stage and are expected to be submitted for bid invitation by end of March 2026,” Ballotti said.

He said targeted monitoring and corrective measures are being applied to address the delays.

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