Africa-Press – Namibia. Sawi Hausiku
NCAMAGORO – Ncamagoro Combined School in the Kavango West region has identified poor attendance and learner indiscipline as persistent challenges, with the growing number of children living in child-headed households emerging as a key factor.
In a recent interview with Nampa, the principal of the school, Mukuve Sikongo, painted a picture of a community caught between survival and education.
He said many parents leave their homes in remote villages so their children can attend school, setting up makeshift shelters nearby.
“Parents come from remote rural areas so their children can access education, but they often return to their homesteads out of fear of losing their mahangu fields,” Sikongo explained.
He said school attendance suffers, and discipline becomes difficult to maintain. On some days, especially Fridays, attendance worsens as children leave in search of food.
“These learners sometimes miss school because they have to find ways to survive,” Sikongo said.
He further said the school is also grappling with a high rate of teenage pregnancies, recording 15 cases last year alone, a reflection of the vulnerabilities faced by learners growing up without consistent parental guidance.
Distance is another barrier, with some learners walking between 10 and 15 kilometres every day from surrounding villages such as Mbeyo, arriving at school already exhausted.
“The long distances create a serious obstacle. Learners are often fatigued, their concentration is affected, and absenteeism increases, especially during harsh weather conditions,” Sikongo added.
He said for some learners in these circumstances it is not just about the classroom, but a daily fight against hunger, distance, and a responsibility far beyond their years.
Education Director in the Kavango West region, Pontianus Musore said child-headed households in his region are amongst others caused by poverty and unemployment.
“Numerous families in Kavango West experience poverty and they are unable to provide for the children. As a result, children have to fend for themselves,” he said.
Another reason for widespread child-headed households is parents relocating for employment, as well as parental demise, among many reasons.
Musore said the government has intervened by providing social grants and financial support, school support programmes, as well as community and leadership involvement.
He noted that the ministry continues to encourage regional leadership to identify and support child-headed households to ensure children are not living alone and without care.
“Government and its partners also run mobile health outreach and nutrition programmes which reach vulnerable children in remote areas,” he said.
Another intervention Musore mentioned is the drought relief and food assistance programme that targets vulnerable households.
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