EINO VATILENI
Classrooms without roofs, walls splitting open, makeshift shacks doubling as learning spaces, and in some cases, children taught under trees.
These scenes greeted the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education Youth, Civic Affairs, and Community Development during its visit to Kavango East and the Zambezi region.
These challenges came to light as the committee conducted an oversight mission to the two regions to assess ongoing and completed capital projects under the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, and to hear firsthand the difficulties faced by schools in these areas.
The committee observed that the majority of the schools in the region practice a platoon system of teaching as there are inadequate classrooms. A platoon system involves substituting players in groups to improve performance, or using different cohorts of students in a shared school building. The committee said this system has resulted in poor performance, alcohol consumption by learners and absenteeism.
KAVANGO EAST SCHOOLS
During its visit to Sauyemwa Junior Primary School in Rundu, the committee observed that the school, which serves learners from pre-primary to grade three, operates using a platoon system. With over 1 700 learners, school principal Regina Haingura reported that the average class size is 35 pupils for grade one and up to 43 for grade three.
To alleviate the overcrowding, Haingura stated that the school requires an additional 12 classrooms. In 2023, the Japanese Embassy donated a block of four classrooms and a storeroom. However, construction remains incomplete due to funding shortfalls. The committee was informed that plans are underway to complete the block, with an anticipated completion date in early 2026.
The committee also noted that two blocks of the school have roofs that were blown off. Chief Education Officer Sintentu Emily assured the committee that the issue is being addressed.
OVERCROWDED
The committee visited the Augustinius Mashika SS in Ndiyona Circuit, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations and Community Development found that the school, which was constructed through the Emergency Classrooms Construction Phase two is almost nearing completion.
With construction started in 2024 by August 26 Construction, the school received a four classrooms block and an ablution facility. It aimed at decongesting the Ndiyona Secondary School by accommodating at least 360 pupils who currently attend classes at Ndiyona SS.
Education inspector in Ndiyona Circuit Ponstianus Kamunima informed the committee that despite the gesture, more classroom blocks are needed.
“At the moment, the four classrooms are not enough to accommodate all the grade 10 and 11 learners,” he said.
The learners are currently taught on a platoon system.
“Sme learners come to school under the influence of alcohol for their afternoon classes,” he said.
Kamunima informed the committee that learners will only occupy the classrooms once construction has completed fully.
Upon visiting the learners at Ndiyona SS, the committee found that a total of about 60 learners are taught in one classroom beyond the required teacher to learner ratio and other educational requirements.
MIGRATION EFFECTS
Pikinini Junior Primary School located in Shinyungwe Circuit in Kavango East was also among the visited schools. During a visit the committee found that the school which has a total of about 90 learners has no permanent structures. With a staff complement of three teachers, the school caters for learners from grade one to four.
School principal Mitighoma Fautinas informed the committee that they have communicated all their challenges to the regional directorate. He said the school awaits a new teacher for grade four.
Shinyungwe Circuit inspector Zombo Jacinto told the committee that the school which started in 2015 is currently awaiting a block of three classrooms to address the challenge. He said previously the school was considered underutilized and no structures were erected.
He also blamed immigration of locals as one of the factors resulting in under utilized schools.
ZAMBEZI SCHOOLS
In the Zambezi region, the committee visited Muzii Combined School, located just 300 meters from the flood-prone Zambezi River. Serving 247 pupils, the school faces severe challenges including lack of electricity, furniture, toilets, aging infrastructure, and human-wildlife conflicts. Teachers live in inadequate traditional huts, while pupils sleep on floors in hot, damaged iron-sheet rooms exposed to cold and reptiles. Despite a clinic being built over a decade ago, it remains non-operational, forcing learners to travel over 30 kilometers for medical care.
At Mpukano Primary School, a recently built two-classroom block is now infested with bats, making it unusable due to the unbearable smell. The school suffers from high absenteeism during floods, damaged canoes, lack of fencing, no electricity or sports facilities, poor ablution facilities, and learners taught under trees or in makeshift “hot” classrooms. A borehole near the septic tank raises health concerns.
Similarly, Nakabolelwa Combined School struggles with bat infestations causing health issues and forcing abandonment of classrooms after ceilings collapsed. Attempts to remove ceilings damaged electrical wiring, leaving hazardous live cables exposed. The school also faces inconsistent water supply, delayed classroom repairs, and prolonged teacher vacancies, leaving learners unprepared for exams.
WHITE ELEPHANT
The Ngoma Community Learning Development Center in the Zambezi region, completed in 2022 after a decade of construction, has never been used. Intended to support local schools and communities, the state-of-the-art facility is now abandoned and infested with spiders, bats, and overgrown grass. During a visit, the Committee learned that the center remains closed due to an unapproved staff structure.
*Eino Vatileni is an Information Officer with the National Assembly.
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