A new girls’ hostel and sick bay were handed over to Chief Dawid Khamuxab Primary School at farm Seringkop on Tuesday, with the facilities expected to improve access to education and healthcare for pupils from the Hai//om community.
Kunene regional education director Sophia Frederick at the event said the lack of hostel accommodation after Grade 7 has contributed to pupils dropping out because they have to move to Outjo for their secondary education.
“When our children complete Grade 7 and have to go to Outjo, many end up dropping out because we do not have hostel accommodation,” Frederick said.
She said the community hopes the school could eventually expand to offer secondary education.
The new girls’ hostel can accommodate 90 pupils and includes beds, lockers, ablution facilities and accommodation for a hostel mother.
The school’s new sick bay includes an examination room, patient rooms with en-suite bathrooms, basic medical supplies and accommodation for visiting health workers.
!Gobaob Hai//om Community Association chairperson Placidus Gerald Nu-Eiseb recalled the difficult conditions pupils faced during the school’s early years.
“The children were sleeping under that tree in tents provided by the army. It was not easy,” he said.
He said community leaders continued supporting the school because education was critical to the community’s future.
Outjo constituency regional councillor Kleofas Gaingob described the development as a first of its kind in the Kunene region.
Ongava director Derek Moore said the facilities represented more than infrastructure.
“These buildings are not just buildings, they’re an investment in dignity, health and opportunity,” he said.
