Walvis Bay
Parents of about 500 Grade 1 learners who were accommodated at primary schools in Walvis Bay by means of afternoon classes can breathe a sigh of relief as their children will now be able to attend school during normal hours.
This is after the education circuit at the coastal town took a decision to temporarily relocate 13 Grade 1 classes with their teachers to the new secondary school built in Tutaleni in Kuisebmond.
Parents at the town whose children attended school in the afternoons have been complaining and raised their concern on numerous occasions about the safety of their children, especially during winter time.
The learners could not be accommodated during normal school hours due to a lack of space at government schools and as a result had to attend afternoon classes and often returned late from school.
However, Monica Gawises, Inspector of Education for the Walvis Bay Circuit, told New Era yesterday that the new school would be used to accommodate Grade 1 learners in order to phase out afternoon classes for the rest of the year.
“This is however only a temporary solution as the learners will be shifted back to their schools next year,” she explained.
According to Gawises two classes from Narraville primary, three from !Nara primary as well as four each from Kuisebmond primary and Flamingo primary schools will be accommodated at the new school.
She added that the secondary school which is currently undergoing finishing touches as well as having two laboratories constructed can accommodate 22 classes, but only 13 will be used for Grade 1 learners.
“We will be enrolling new grade ones within the next two months which means we will be back to square one. Erongo needs a new school every year or at least four classrooms at each school. With the growth of the town it is envitable that we will not be able to accommodate all learners,” she said.