WINDHOEK – Dordabis Primary School parents allegedly boycotted the school’s 50th anniversary, which was scheduled for Saturday at the sleepy settlement, saying they were not involved in the planning of the event. The parents’ boycott forced the school to abort the event at the eleventh hour.
When New Era visited the school on Saturday, at the settlement located some 90 kilometres out of Windhoek, there were only a few learners and some teachers who opted to host an impromptu cultural festival since the event was called off. “Welcome to our 50th anniversary 1964-2014,” read the clear painted massage on the school entrance wall.
“There was a feud between the school management and some community members, in particular the parents, regarding the anniversary. Some parents claim they were sidelined in the whole planning of the 50th anniversary but [it] is not true. We, the school management, have already informed the parents since January this year when the school re-opened. But no parent showed any interest in the whole planning of the event,” said Ikuaterua Katjitu, a head of department at Dordabis Primary School.
“We spent a lot of time and money for the event. We even had to call the guest speakers at the last minute that the event is called off. The Ministry of Education informed the school at the last minute that the event is cancelled until further notice,” said Katjitu.
New Era is in possession of two letters exchanged between the school principal and parents, including former students, regarding the anniversary. The parents and former scholars wrote a letter on September 28 requesting the school management to postpone the anniversary to a later date, citing lack of proper planning.
“We, the parents and former students, met on September 28 where we exchanged ideas regarding the anniversary. We thus agreed and felt that the principal must go ahead with the annual cultural festival and postpone the 50th anniversary celebration to a later date, on condition that we plan the event well. With humility, we, the parents and former scholars, hope and trust that our request is understood and that you give us urgent feedback,” reads the letter.
The school principal, Gerhardine Uises, responded to the parents promptly the next day. “I want to bring to your attention that I received your letter regarding the 50th anniversary celebration that it must be postponed. I agree with pleasure that the celebration should be postponed to a later date. You are however welcome to take the lead concerning the anniversary whatever it entails. We are going ahead with the annual cultural festival. But please take note [it] is not part of the 50th anniversary and it’s out of our hands. You are requested to open a savings account for the 50th anniversary celebration in which we can transfer the N$1 250 that we have collected so far,” the principal responded.
Thus far, the school is in limbo as to whether the anniversary will ever be celebrated or not. Dordabis, which is mainly surrounded by commercial farms and is rocked by rampant alcohol abuse due to high unemployment, has no secondary school.