CLOSE TO 631 learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12 at the Linus Shashipapo Secondary School continue to be taught in old buildings that pose a threat to their health and education.
The school’s principal, Faustinus Shikukutu, told the Swapo Party Youth League’s regional secretary Anselm Marungu in a consultative meeting on Monday that the school’s buildings can be very dangerous, and definitely deserve the immediate attention of the authorities.
Representing the party’s youth in the region, Marungu said he heard rumours that the renovations were put on hold, and thus decided to consult the school on the progress.
Shikukutu said despite promises from the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) for renovations to commence in August this year, the school’s programmes continue as usual, even when the buildings are not suitable for learning.
The principal said the situation is especially dire now that a new curriculum has been introduced as the school has to accommodate close to 300 extra Grade 10 pupils, despite the lack of adequate infrastructure.
As part of the new curriculum, the school was further promised that four extra blocks of classrooms would be built, but this too has not yet been done.
From the 631 pupils, 480 are currently accommodated at the school hostel, which is located in the Kavango East region, and is 113 kilometres east of Rundu.
“The ministry’s officials, both at the regional and national level, are aware of the situation at the school; a condition that dates back as far as 2004,” Shikukutu stated.
In August last year, learners at the school packed up their belongings and left as they were frustrated that the government was taking too long with the renovations, he added.
“We are facing a very big challenge next year as we do not have enough classrooms or hostel space. We have a block of classrooms where the roof was blown off in 2015, and nothing has been done up to now,” said Shikukutu.
According to the principal, it came to light during a meeting between them and the committee steering the placement of pupils that the regional council is planning to get tents in January next year to allow teaching to proceed uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, the director of education in the region, Fanuel Kapapero, said he was at the MoEAC’s head office last week to follow up on the same project, and was told that plans to renovate the school are still on.
He was informed that the funds to renovate the school, about N$100 million, have been secured through the African Development Bank (AfDB), and that there were delays in the process. “We were told that the implementation will be done, but towards the end of this financial year,” the director said, confirming that due to a lack of funds, the four classroom blocks could not be built at this point in time.
MoEAC permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp told Nampa on Tuesday that the school’s renovations are prioritised under the AfDB project, which entity was approached by the ministry for funding.
Steenkamp added that the ministry has appointed a full team for this project as per the agreement with the AfDB.
– Nampa
