Surplus of teachers ‘causing a shortage’

THE overstaffing of teachers in the Caprivi Region has led to a situation where a school in its far-western reaches has gone through the first semester with only a principal and one teacher for 171 pupils.

The Ndora Memorial School at Chetto caters for Grades 1 to 7, and with a number of returnees from the Dukwe Refugee camp in Botswana now settled in the Omega area, the number of pupils at the school doubled this year. According to Caprivi Regional Education Director, Innocent Mahoto, the school qualifies for five teachers.However, because several other schools in the region are overstaffed, the Basic Education Ministry cannot appoint new teachers to take up the vacant posts at Ndora Memorial.”The only way we can solve the problem is by transferring to that area.We are not allowed to make new appointments,” he said.Mahoto said teachers appeared reluctant to move because of language differences and the remoteness of the area.At least one more teacher was expected to be dispatched to the area recently, but this could not be verified, as the Ndora Memorial School has no telephones.A very frustrated principal, Alex Mavonda, told The Namibian that the school was faced with continuous absenteeism.He said some pupils had to walk more than 10 kilometres to school and travel along paths were lions and elephants roam freely.There are neither hostel facilities at the school nor buildings to accommodate teachers.The principal said he had been sleeping in the storeroom since he was appointed at the beginning of the year.Holding double sessions to accommodate the large number of pupils, especially from Grade 1 to 4, had also failed over the past semester because pupils simply did not turn up for school in the afternoon.”That community just does not behave like another community.Learners come to school when it suits them,” Mahoto said.According to Caprivi Regional Education Director, Innocent Mahoto, the school qualifies for five teachers.However, because several other schools in the region are overstaffed, the Basic Education Ministry cannot appoint new teachers to take up the vacant posts at Ndora Memorial.”The only way we can solve the problem is by transferring to that area.We are not allowed to make new appointments,” he said.Mahoto said teachers appeared reluctant to move because of language differences and the remoteness of the area.At least one more teacher was expected to be dispatched to the area recently, but this could not be verified, as the Ndora Memorial School has no telephones.A very frustrated principal, Alex Mavonda, told The Namibian that the school was faced with continuous absenteeism.He said some pupils had to walk more than 10 kilometres to school and travel along paths were lions and elephants roam freely.There are neither hostel facilities at the school nor buildings to accommodate teachers.The principal said he had been sleeping in the storeroom since he was appointed at the beginning of the year.Holding double sessions to accommodate the large number of pupils, especially from Grade 1 to 4, had also failed over the past semester because pupils simply did not turn up for school in the afternoon.”That community just does not behave like another community.Learners come to school when it suits them,” Mahoto said.