Private schools make U-turn in defying ministry’s holiday directive

Windhoek Gymnasium Private School, alongside other private schools, will abide by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture’s declaration that Friday will be a school holiday.

This after initially refusing the directive when it was issued on Tuesday.

Windhoek Gymnasium Private School executive head Colette Rieckert confirmed this to The Namibian on Wednesday.

She admitted that education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp had reached out to her requesting that the school abide by the declaration.

“Out of respect for her request, Friday will now be a school holiday for our school community too,” Rieckert said.

She clarified that the school considered the declaration of the school holiday the same as when the ministry declares at the end of the term that state schools will close sooner, and the school does not follow such instructions.

“We also considered our parents, who must still work on Friday and are inconvenienced by having to make arrangements for their children, who now have to stay at home,” she added.

This comes after the education ministry declared Friday, 23 February, as a school holiday as per the Basic Education Act of 2020. Steenkamp on Wednesday morning said she was aware of a private school that did not want to adhere to the directive and that they were engaging with the school.