Oshigambo school collapsing

The privately owned Oshigambo High School, which is among the top best-performing schools in the country, is on the verge of collapsing and the school has no money to renovate it.The principal, Pinehas Ekongo, said that he reported the school's dilapidated state to the school owner, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) but no funds have been made available to renovate the property.This one of the best performing schools in the country. It was established in 1960 by the Finnish mission in Namibia.Ekongo said that most of the buildings are constructed of mud and have been in existence for many years. They are currently falling apart, with some of them not in use anymore.“The school infrastructure and school's performance are not getting along. In terms of academic performance Oshigambo High School is one of the top performing schools in the country, but in terms of infrastructure the school is not in a good state. Especially the hostel is in a dilapidated state and we either need it renovated or we need to get a completely new hostel,” said Ekongo.“Due to the top performance of the school many parents are bringing their children here, but looking at the state of the school many refuse to leave their children here.”According to Ekongo, for this academic year, the school has 354 learners who are all in hostel.He also added the school premises are old and they are posing a serious threat to learners and their health.He said bats occupy the ceilings and cause the release dust and guano which in turn is causing serious health challenges to the learners.“We need a reasonable hostel that at least corresponds with the school's academic performance. I am being told to renovate and maintain the buildings but how can I renovate buildings that are made of mud? Will I renovate them with mud or cement?” asked Ekongo.Last week, the Vice-President Nangoloh Mbumba, who is a former learner at the school, and his Chinese friend Vicky Yang donated N$20 000 each to the school. At the same event, the class of 2001 donated N$40 000, while the class of 2008 sponsored awards and rewards for the best performing learners.The ELCIN bishop, Shekutaamba Nambala, who also attended the event would not comment on the school's condition.Among others who attended the event are the Oshikoto education director Lameck Kafidi, Oshikoto regional council chief regional officer Frans Enkali, the governor Henock Kankoshi and many other high-level government officials.The vice-president of the school's learners' representative council Selma Shaanika called on the school's alumni to come on board and assist with the construction of new buildings. She said the school has produced many people with extraordinary talents and many are in a position to assist the school.“Our school is falling apart, and the hostel is calling apart faster. Our principal and his team are trying their level best to repair what they can, but when you fix the wall the whole building collapses,” said Shaanika.ILENI NANDJATO

Oshigambo school collapsing

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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Oshigambo school collapsing

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-25

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