Africa-Press – Namibia. AS more than 800 000 Namibian children return to school today, thousands of parents across the country are still battling to place their children in the country’s 1 966 state and private schools.
tenAt Rundu, 1 000 children have still not been placed in, while parents in Windhoek this week pleaded with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to make tents available to accommodate their children.
At the coast, angry scenes played out at Kuisebmond, Walvis Bay, of parents complaining that schools at the town were not serious about their children’s education.
They alleged they are being sent back and forth between the education circuit office and schools.
They say the lists with the names of prospective Grade 1 pupils which were compiled last year cannot be found at some schools.
‘MAKE TENTS AVAILABLE’
Windhoek parent Emilia Nakale at CJ Brandt High School this week said the government should at least make extra tents available at schools to accommodate those pupils who have not been admitted.
“We are scared. Our kids will stay at home and end up being criminals on the streets or doing drugs at a young age,” she said.
Johanna Alweendo said she wants the child in her care to be transferred from the north to Windhoek after the child’s parents died.
“I have been looking for a school for him since last year. He is an orphan,” she said.
Alweendo said schools in the Khomas region should allow pupils from other regions.
“I have been to many schools, but they are all giving me one response: They are not accepting kids from other regions, and we should wait until February,” she said.
Helena Likius from the Moses //Garoëb constituency said her children have not been accepted by schools, despite applying since last year.
“We are asking for the government to provide schools with even tents for those who did not get placement,” she said.
1 000 CHILDREN NEED SCHOOLS IN KAVANGO EAST
The director of education in the Kavango East region, Fanuel Kapapero, yesterday said over 1 000 pupils at Rundu still need to be placed at schools as the existing high schools at the town are full.
He said there is no space available for Grade 8 and Grade 10 pupils at Rundu due to an influx of residents. Kapapero said tents will be erected at various schools to accommodate pupils who have not been placed at schools yet.
These tents will be moved to a new project school to be constructed this year, he said.
“They will be moved when the construction of the classrooms is done,” Kapapero said, adding that children from rural areas seem to have moved to Rundu.
Elia Kashaamwa, a parent, said schools are not accepting pupils from their own areas, but rather from other regions and areas.
“It makes us feel bad because now we have to spend money on taxis running up and down looking for schools,” he said.
ANGER AT WALVIS BAY
Angry Walvis Bay parents this week said schools at the town are not serious about their children’s education.
They said they have been sent from pillar to post between the education circuit office and schools.
Among other things, lists with prospective Grade 1 pupils are nowhere to be found, they said.
“I thought they have solved the list issue by now, but we only find close gates and posters saying there is no space. Where should we go?” asked Ion Neoga.
“I registered my child on a waiting list last year. When I showed up at the Tutaleni Primary School, I was told such a list was not given to them,” said another parent, Mbeumuna Tjipure.
“I am disappointed that my child’s name is not on any of the schools’ lists. I thought there was a list that was supposed to be sent to different schools,” said Veripi Hiho.
Principals and inspectors The Namibian has tried to reach have been unavailable for comment.
‘NOT ACCEPTING KIDS FROM THE NORTH’
Back in Windhoek, a parent who only identified herself as Johanna, said: “I applied last year. Yesterday I started at Hage Geingob Secondary School and went to A Shipena, Acacia Secondary, Ella du Plessis, and Highline Secondary School.
“Now I am at CJ Brandt High School, but they are all telling me they are not accepting kids from the north.”
She said they have been spending at least N$200 on transport every day.
“We applied last year and were charged N$200 and N$50 non-refundable for school applications. On top of that, we still have to pay N$1 000 for schools and uniforms, and we don’t have jobs, we are unemployed,” she said.
According to a 2022 school report, there are 1 966 schools and 839 579 pupils nationally, with 135 schools in the Khomas region.
SHORTAGE OF SCHOOLS IN //KHARAS
The //Kharas region faces a shortage of three schools.
Regional director of education, arts, and culture, /Awebahe //Hoëseb, says one school each is required at Keetmans-hoop, Lüderitz, and Oranjemund.
“We have seen the trend of growth of the school population at Oranjemund, Lüderitz, and Keetmanshoop,” he said.
“Schools are constructed to accommodate a number of pupils, so we cannot exceed that number per classroom.
We will make provision for pupils who require more classrooms once they have determined the number of pupils that were placed, and how many showed up from Wednesday to Friday,” he said.
SWAKOPMUND READY
Swakopmund education circuit inspector Tania Louw this week said Swakopmund currently has 40 Grade 8 and 40 Grade 1 pupils on waiting lists.
A secondary school is currently under construction at the town and will be completed by 31 March.
“We have arranged that the learners who are placed at the new secondary school attend afternoon classes at Coastal High School from 1 February until 31 March after which period they will move over to the new secondary school,” Louw said.
The Namibian SSCAS placement meeting took place on 6 January.
Louw said the region is ready for pupils of all levels to attend classes as of today.
REGISTRATION COMPLETED LAST YEAR
Executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp on Monday said the schools registration process has already been completed in September last year.
“Of course, there are special cases where parents are moving to other regions, however, the schools have limited space, so we are not opening up for new registrations.
“If a child has been registered at a specific school, the parents should go to the regional office and hand in the name should there be space at other schools,” she said.
Steenkamp said parents should accept that their children will not necessarily be accepted at the school of their choice.
According to the 15th School Day Report of 2022, some 839 579 pupils were placed in schools, and the ministry is expecting an increase of 3 to 4% on this figure.
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