About 804 pupils at Mafuta Combined School in the Zambezi region will not be attending school indefinitely as their parents are boycotting lessons in protest against a controversial teacher.
The pupils did not attend classes yesterday on instruction of their aggrieved parents, who say they are not sending their children to school until the teacher is removed.
The parents handed over a petition to regional education director Alex Sikume on 8 July, expressing their unhappiness over the conduct of the social studies and agriculture teacher, whose name has been withheld.
They are alleging the teacher repeatedly reports to work late, abuses pupils and parents verbally, and does not teach pupils or assess their work properly, among others.
Sikume, when approached for comment yesterday, claimed the parents only boycotted the teacher and said the pupils are at school.
He said the education directorate is considering the parents’ petition.
“I have already received a preliminary investigation on the issues raised, and we are working on the recommendations. Parents should note that we are attending to their grievances in line with applicable policy guidelines,” he said.
In the petition, the parents have demanded that the teacher, who teaches grades 4 to 7, be transferred with immediate effect.
However, the parents say they are yet to receive a response from Sikume.
One of the aggrieved parents, Richard Kangumu, yesterday told The Namibian that the directorate had enough time to respond to them, however, it seems it is not prioritising their petition.
“Our demands are not implemented, as the teacher is still coming to school every day. Our children will not go back to school until the directorate gives us a response in which it states that the teacher will be transferred,” he said.
Kangumu said the teacher has been a nuisance since 2015 and parents have been complaining to the directorate to no avail.
“For the past decade we have been attempting to find an amicable solution, but the directorate has not been doing anything. Our children have been performing poorly because of this teacher’s behaviour. We have realised that if we want to be heard, we need to take such drastic measures as the demonstration and now boycotting lessons.
“We know the boycotting lessons are not in favour of our children, but there’s no difference, as they are not being taught properly already,” he said.
Another parent, Maria Kota, said she would send her children back to school once the teacher has left.
“For 10 years our children have not been receiving the education they deserve. If you open their books, they’re empty, so it’s best if I keep my children at home until the teacher is gone,” she said.
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