By Reagan Malumo
KATIMA MULILO
Smelly sewerage gushing out of broken sewer pipes in recent months at the Caprivi College of Education poses a health hazard to both trainee teachers and lecturers.
A strong foul smell emanates from mouldy pools of water.
Students who can no longer keep up with the smell told New Era about their discomfort and the resultant health hazard posed by the unhygienic sewerage that has also become a breeding ground for flies and even mosquito larvae.
When New Era visited the college, conditions looked repulsive. The sewerage could be seen gushing from the pipes.
The pipes in the ablution blocks are blocked and broken while pools have formed from putrid water.
And the situation is made worse by the fact that students at times have to pass through dirty water mixed with sewerage on their way to the toilet or to the ablution blocks.
Toilet pots and sinks are also broken while windows have been shattered and need replacement.
Doors have been removed from some of the toilets while shower rooms are also without doors, exposing those using them.
According to the Student Representative Council President at the college, Nicolas Sikena, even though hostel students payN$1500 a year, the college has dismally failed to provide them with decent services.
According to Sikena, the hostel has no refuse facilities and that only once in a while are they provided with refuse bags to discard rubbish.
He said showers and sleeping rooms have no mirrors and lights and that once the bulbs in the showers or sleeping rooms give in, they are never replaced.
“I have stayed for two months now without lights in my room, and since it is now exam time, I have just decided to take a bulb from the corridor to put it in my room so that I can be studying at night. I have no other choice,” said Sikena.
The college SRC has submitted letters to the college management, which according to him were also sent to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, requesting them to repair the broken items but it seems their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
Sikena said students at one time planned to go on strike but were advised to wait for the Department of Works but this proved a hollow promise.
Meanwhile, the Hostel Superintendent at Caprivi College of Education James Fumano confirmed the situation. He said since it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication to maintain and replace all broken items, management at the college could do nothing.
“I do not mean to accuse our sister ministry, but once you go and report a fault, they will not say that they don’t want. But all they will tell you is to open a job card but nothing happens afterwards,” he said.
Fumano confirmed that conditions at the hostel have been reported to the works ministry but to no avail. He said that throughout the entire winter, students were unable to access hot water because geysers were not functional. It took a long time for the geysers to be repaired.
Concerning refuse bins, Fumano accused residents of the nearby informal settlement of Makalabani of stealing the dustbins previously installed at the hostel, which they use for fermenting traditional beer.
When asked to comment on the issue, a senior official who refused to give his name at the Department of Works claimed he was unaware of the situation, though he acknowledged one of his subordinates was responsible for receiving job cards.
He said though some of the facilities at the hostel needed total renovation, his ministry could do nothing as they are only responsible for maintenance and not the entire renovation.
The official then refused to answer further questions and referred all queries to the Regional Director of Education in Caprivi Lovemore Lupalezwi who was not immediately available.