Over 2 000 pupils without schools in the North

MORE than 2 133 pupils in the Ohangwena, Oshana and Oshikoto regions were still without places in schools when the school year started on Wednesday.

The Deputy Director of Education in the Oshana Region, Immanuel Aipanda, told The Namibian yesterday that 284 full-time pupils, plus 413 part-time Namcol students, could not get places for Grade 11 this year. “We tried to get them places in schools in Omusati Region, but it seems that they are also now full.”Now we do not know what to do and we are busy assessing in our own secondary school, to see whether there are some places to squeeze in some of them,” Aipanda said.In the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions, 1 436 children have not find placements in schools so far.When approached by The Namibian earlier, the Director of Education in Omusati, Lameck Kafindi, said schools there could accommodate all pupils from the region, but might battle to find place for children coming in from other regions.All Education Directors or their deputies in the northern regions said their main problems were a shortage of schools, classrooms, teachers and textbooks.The Namibian has learnt that the placement problem is not only affecting Grade 11 pupils, but also other lower grades, such as at primary and junior secondary level.Aipanda said the planned construction of a primary school in Oshakati West, as well as a senior secondary school at Eheke in the Oshana Region, had been postponed indefinitely.He said it appeared that a shortage of money was the reason for the postponement.”We really have to approach other regions to assist us by taking in learners, because we alone cannot do that with the schools and teachers we have available, “Aipanda added.The Director of Education in Oshikoto, Anna Hipondoka, also told The Namibian that her region needs many more schools or classrooms, teachers and teaching materials.She said schools in her region could only admit 1 053 of the 1 864 applicants for admission to Grade 11 this year.The Director in Ohangwena, Josia Udjombala, said schools there could only admit 1 200 of the 1 825 students who passed Grade 10 in the region last year, Namcol students included.Deputy education directors will meet in Windhoek on January 24 to discuss the admissions problem.Sources have told The Namibian that the meeting would probably suggest double sessions at schools to accommodate all children.”We tried to get them places in schools in Omusati Region, but it seems that they are also now full.”Now we do not know what to do and we are busy assessing in our own secondary school, to see whether there are some places to squeeze in some of them,” Aipanda said.In the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions, 1 436 children have not find placements in schools so far.When approached by The Namibian earlier, the Director of Education in Omusati, Lameck Kafindi, said schools there could accommodate all pupils from the region, but might battle to find place for children coming in from other regions.All Education Directors or their deputies in the northern regions said their main problems were a shortage of schools, classrooms, teachers and textbooks.The Namibian has learnt that the placement problem is not only affecting Grade 11 pupils, but also other lower grades, such as at primary and junior secondary level.Aipanda said the planned construction of a primary school in Oshakati West, as well as a senior secondary school at Eheke in the Oshana Region, had been postponed indefinitely.He said it appeared that a shortage of money was the reason for the postponement.”We really have to approach other regions to assist us by taking in learners, because we alone cannot do that with the schools and teachers we have available, “Aipanda added.The Director of Education in Oshikoto, Anna Hipondoka, also told The Namibian that her region needs many more schools or classrooms, teachers and teaching materials.She said schools in her region could only admit 1 053 of the 1 864 applicants for admission to Grade 11 this year.The Director in Ohangwena, Josia Udjombala, said schools there could only admit 1 200 of the 1 825 students who passed Grade 10 in the region last year, Namcol students included.Deputy education directors will meet in Windhoek on January 24 to discuss the admissions problem.Sources have told The Namibian that the meeting would probably suggest double sessions at schools to accommodate all children.