Parents of pupils attending Sam Nujoma Junior Primary School in the Okahao circuit of the Omusati region have refused to send their children to school following the drowning of a pre-grade pupil (5) from the school.
The incident occurred on 10 March when the child reportedly fell into a nearby well and drowned, sparking outrage among parents and the community. The school has about 90 pupils.
Parents staged a protest two weeks ago, demanding the removal of the school principal, Betty Munashimwe. They allege that the principal failed to act after being informed that the child had fallen into the well.
Contacted for comment on Monday, Munashimwe said: “No comment, sorry.”
Okahao circuit inspector Eliakim Kamati yesterday told The Namibian that he is not sure when the pupils will go back to school.
“I am aware that parents have decided not to send their children to school despite several interventions. The last intervention was last week with the director of education but it seems that they are still adamant. As to when they will be ready to send their children back to school, I am not quite aware, unless perhaps you liaise with the regional director. That’s all I can say,” Kamati said.
Speaking to The Namibian on Monday, parents’ spokesperson Andreas Negumbo said pupils had not attended school for the entire previous week, as their concerns remained unresolved.
“We had a meeting with the regional director of education, the circuit inspector and the school board last Wednesday and the director asked us to write another letter.
“Since we submitted our petition on 19 March, our concerns have not been addressed. So, the whole of last week, children did not go to school. We want a new school principal,” Negumbo said.
He questioned why the principal remains at the school despite the strained relations with parents.
Negumbo further alleged that the principal was at the school when the incident occurred but did not go to the well, even after being informed.
“She drove off from the school. That is saddening and has hurt us the most. When two other pupils drowned in the same well years ago, the previous principal went into the well, and when the police arrived, the bodies had already been retrieved. But the current principal did not even go to the parents to show solidarity,” he said.
In a petition submitted about two weeks ago to Kamati, parents raise concerns over what they describe as negligence and disregard for pupils’ safety.
“Most gravely, in the recent incident on 10 March, where a pupil tragically lost his life in a nearby well, the principal failed to notify the police or the child’s parents. This demonstrates negligence and disregard for pupils’ welfare,” the petition reads.
Parents also accuse the principal of repeatedly using hostile and inappropriate language towards both teachers and pupils.
They claim that despite several meetings involving the school board and parents, the alleged behaviour has not improved.
“The principal’s actions have eroded trust among teachers, parents and the school board,” the petition states.
The ongoing boycott has disrupted learning at the school, with many pupils remaining at home.
Parents have called on the inspector of education to urgently investigate the principal’s conduct and take appropriate disciplinary action.
Omusati director of education Paulus Kashiimbi did not answer several calls or respond to a text message yesterday.
LIVING IN CLASSROOM
New Era reported in 2022 that Munashimwe allegedly occupied a classroom at another school, Ndeutala Angolo Amutenya Primary School, as her residence. It was reported that pupils in grades 2 and 3 were taught in one classroom, as the head of the school used the classroom as her home.
According to community members, Munashimwe had been living on the school premises since her employment at the school in July 2021.
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