On and off ‘stink strike’

PUPILS at the Gustav Kandjii Junior Secondary School at Otjinene have returned to their classrooms despite complaining that the stench from the toilets continued to be a hazard to their health.

A teacher, who did not want to be named, said pupils went back on Friday after the situation had improved “in some ways”. She said the 2 500-litre water tank now installed to supply the school was not big enough since it only lasted about 10 minutes, but pupils have water for washing and the preparation of food.”The problem with the toilets continues and the learners keep going into the bush,” the teacher said.A representative of the Students Representative Council (SRC) said they had decided to adopt a wait-and-see attitude for a few more days.Pupils boycotted classes on Thursday because of the unbearable stench from toilets that had not been flushed for over a month because of a lack of water.The school has been without water since the beginning of January after NamWater cut its supply as a result of non-payment of outstanding water bills by the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing.The chairperson of the SRC at the school, Ephraim Tjamuaha, said pupils had run out of patience and were left with no choice but to boycott classrooms.He said teachers and students had resorted to using the nearby bushes to answer the call of nature, while “unpleasant odours inside the classrooms make it unbearable to stay inside”.Since the beginning of January, hostel staff at the school have found it difficult to prepare meals because of swarms of flies that have been attracted by the stench.The Otjinene Junior Primary School and the Otjinene Senior Primary School have also been affected by the water cut.She said the 2 500-litre water tank now installed to supply the school was not big enough since it only lasted about 10 minutes, but pupils have water for washing and the preparation of food. “The problem with the toilets continues and the learners keep going into the bush,” the teacher said. A representative of the Students Representative Council (SRC) said they had decided to adopt a wait-and-see attitude for a few more days. Pupils boycotted classes on Thursday because of the unbearable stench from toilets that had not been flushed for over a month because of a lack of water. The school has been without water since the beginning of January after NamWater cut its supply as a result of non-payment of outstanding water bills by the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing. The chairperson of the SRC at the school, Ephraim Tjamuaha, said pupils had run out of patience and were left with no choice but to boycott classrooms. He said teachers and students had resorted to using the nearby bushes to answer the call of nature, while “unpleasant odours inside the classrooms make it unbearable to stay inside”. Since the beginning of January, hostel staff at the school have found it difficult to prepare meals because of swarms of flies that have been attracted by the stench. The Otjinene Junior Primary School and the Otjinene Senior Primary School have also been affected by the water cut.