Learners at unemployed teachers’ school caught up in bosses’ fights
More than 400 learners at makeshift Rundu-based Ndama East Primary School, who attend lessons seated on logs under trees, face a bleak future amid a directive by government to close down the school, which was established by unemployed teachers.
The disagreement revolves around the construction of another school in the area.
According to the school’s spokesperson Paulus Ndumba, the initial plan was to construct a school building at its existing location. However, acting Kavango East regional education director Christine Shilima raised concerns about the school's registration status, prompting her to erect another school approximately 900 metres from the current site.
“Some parents and teachers have voiced their concerns, such as the increased distance learners would have to walk daily to reach the new school. Many learners already cover significant distances to attend school. The idea of an additional kilometre to the new school is a concern to parents,” Ndumba told Namibian Sun.
“Last year on 12 October, Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo and Shilima chose to disregard advice provided by the Office of the President, led by late president Hage Geingob. The Presidency unequivocally emphasised the need for re-engagement with all relevant stakeholders to find a solution that serves the best interests of the Ndama community. Their refusal to heed this advice is deeply unfortunate,” he said.
“Rather than patiently awaiting the resolution from re-engagement with all stakeholders, Shilima took matters into her own hands. On 20 September 2023, she sent a letter threatening the closure of Ndama East School. This preemptive move bypassed the collaborative process the president's office had advocated for."
School closure
Ndumba explained how the situation escalated this year.
“On 20 February, the school management received an urgent visit from [Shilima] and Rundu education circuit inspector Julia Kangungu, who delivered a shocking directive that [the school] must close immediately and learners must be transferred to [Ndama South Primary School].
“The gravity of this decision cannot be overstated. Parents were not only threatened with legal action, but also informed that if the education office prevails in court, they would be required to pay N$50 000. Such a financial burden on parents is unconscionable. In response, parents have courageously stood their ground. They refuse to bow to threats and are committed to the well-being and education of their children. We commend their resilience and unwavering dedication to justice,” he added.
Does not qualify
On why she issued the directive to shut down Ndama East Primary School, Shilima said: “The school does not even qualify to be registered. I do not know whether the town council has surveyed the land that they are operating on. Also, for one to say that a school is in the process of being registered, there ought to be a permanent structure. It’s only the government that can start a school under a tree. An ordinary person cannot register a school under a tree”.
“When I came to the office, a decision was already taken to construct a new school where [Ndama East] is currently constructed. We clarified the confusion with the management, acknowledging that I had inherited the confusion and that construction had started at other erven. We made it clear that there are expenditures involved if we stop the construction at the site to commence construction at the existing premises,” she told Namibian Sun.
She added: “We pleaded with them that it’s not that far, it's only 900 metres. The directorate made an independent decision to build the new school in a new area because there were too many unregistered schools. The directorate did not want to encourage the notion that all unregistered schools could be turned into state schools”.
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The disagreement revolves around the construction of another school in the area.
According to the school’s spokesperson Paulus Ndumba, the initial plan was to construct a school building at its existing location. However, acting Kavango East regional education director Christine Shilima raised concerns about the school's registration status, prompting her to erect another school approximately 900 metres from the current site.
“Some parents and teachers have voiced their concerns, such as the increased distance learners would have to walk daily to reach the new school. Many learners already cover significant distances to attend school. The idea of an additional kilometre to the new school is a concern to parents,” Ndumba told Namibian Sun.
“Last year on 12 October, Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo and Shilima chose to disregard advice provided by the Office of the President, led by late president Hage Geingob. The Presidency unequivocally emphasised the need for re-engagement with all relevant stakeholders to find a solution that serves the best interests of the Ndama community. Their refusal to heed this advice is deeply unfortunate,” he said.
“Rather than patiently awaiting the resolution from re-engagement with all stakeholders, Shilima took matters into her own hands. On 20 September 2023, she sent a letter threatening the closure of Ndama East School. This preemptive move bypassed the collaborative process the president's office had advocated for."
School closure
Ndumba explained how the situation escalated this year.
“On 20 February, the school management received an urgent visit from [Shilima] and Rundu education circuit inspector Julia Kangungu, who delivered a shocking directive that [the school] must close immediately and learners must be transferred to [Ndama South Primary School].
“The gravity of this decision cannot be overstated. Parents were not only threatened with legal action, but also informed that if the education office prevails in court, they would be required to pay N$50 000. Such a financial burden on parents is unconscionable. In response, parents have courageously stood their ground. They refuse to bow to threats and are committed to the well-being and education of their children. We commend their resilience and unwavering dedication to justice,” he added.
Does not qualify
On why she issued the directive to shut down Ndama East Primary School, Shilima said: “The school does not even qualify to be registered. I do not know whether the town council has surveyed the land that they are operating on. Also, for one to say that a school is in the process of being registered, there ought to be a permanent structure. It’s only the government that can start a school under a tree. An ordinary person cannot register a school under a tree”.
“When I came to the office, a decision was already taken to construct a new school where [Ndama East] is currently constructed. We clarified the confusion with the management, acknowledging that I had inherited the confusion and that construction had started at other erven. We made it clear that there are expenditures involved if we stop the construction at the site to commence construction at the existing premises,” she told Namibian Sun.
She added: “We pleaded with them that it’s not that far, it's only 900 metres. The directorate made an independent decision to build the new school in a new area because there were too many unregistered schools. The directorate did not want to encourage the notion that all unregistered schools could be turned into state schools”.
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