Africa-Press – Namibia. SOME parents facing financial challenges due to Covid-19 have opted to move their children from private schools to government schools, because the high fees have become increasingly unaffordable.
As a result, many government schools in the northern regions have run out of space. Parents and guardians who spoke to The Namibian, said finding places for their children in government schools was a challenge, and the education directorate should make more space available, as they can no longer afford the luxury of private education.
Anna Shikongo is one of the many parents who wake up early every day, and head out in search of a place for her daughter in the government schools of Oshakati. She was forced to move her daughter from a private school after losing her job last year.
“I was retrenched from my workplace last year and I can no longer afford to pay my child’s school fees at a private school. Covid-19 has caused much destruction and livelihoods have been negatively affected. Things are no longer the same. I come here every day hoping my child will get placement, but we are told that schools have run out of space and can no longer accommodate more pupils,” she says.
Another disgruntled parent, Magano Jeremia, echoed the same sentiments. “We are no longer having stable jobs and we cannot afford to pay high school fees.
School fees have become expensive. We understand that government schools are already overcrowded but they must feel pity for us and give our children another chance to attend school.”
The education director for the Omusati region, Benny Eiseb, confirms that most schools in the region have run out of space and can no longer accommodate additional pupils.
“Our schools are full to capacity. We have observed the trend of parents moving their children from private schools to government schools this year, which is what is causing most government schools in the region to run out of space. There is nothing much we can do to assist the parents.”
He urges parents whose children are not yet placed in schools, to submit their children’s names to the circuit offices in order to allow the directorate to seek alternative school placements.
“We are yet to sit down and analyse the school placement situation. We will only be able to find placement for all children by the end of this week. Parents should bear with us and remain patient.”
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