Six Gibeon pupils break windows at another school

Six pupils from Captain Reverend Dr Hendrik Witbooi Primary School at Gibeon in the Hardap region have broken windows at Dr WM Jod Junior Primary School.

The Namibian on Tuesday published an article about pupils at the school behaving increasingly disruptive, insulting teachers and intentionally skipping classes.

The situation has raised concerns about discipline among pupils, prompting educators at the school to plead with parents to teach moral values at home.

Educators say they cannot discipline pupils as the Education Act of 2001 and the Constitution expressly ban corporal or any other degrading form of punishment, humiliation or abuse of schoolchildren, whether it is emotionally or psychologically.

A video showing a classroom with broken windows was also seen by The Namibian.

It was initially believed to be from Captain Reverend Dr Hendrik Witbooi Primary School.

However, school principal Aermgarda Gawases says the windows in the video are not from her school but from Dr WM Jod Junior Primary School (JPS).

“Six identified pupils from our school broke these windows at Dr WM Jod JPS. I had a successful engagement with the pupils and parents and resolved the matter,” she says.

“As an educator, thinking about these pupils’ well-being, I did not involve the police. The parents will pay for the damages,” she says.

Hardap education director Paul Lewin says the issue will be addressed during his visit to Gibeon next week for academic improvement dialogues.

“This issue will be discussed as part of the five-year turnaround strategic plan,” he says.

Gibeon is one of the oldest settlements in Namibia.

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