OKASHANA KOOMANYA – Oomanya Combined School yesterday received 100 chairs and desks valued at N$86 000 from the Gwanyena family, which hails from Okashana Koomanya, an area in which the school is situated.
This gesture was in retrospect to aid the school at which some of the family members have attended.
“We heard there will be new classrooms to be constructed at the school. Thus as a family, we sat and thought about it, considering that it is a school in our area where my children attended. That is why we thought about getting chairs and tables because when the classrooms are complete, such materials will be needed,” briefly stated Fried Nghipunya who was in the company of her two sons, Simon and Samuel.
The school principal, Fillemon Kalimbo was very delighted.
He used the opportunity to share some of the school’s social ills, among such he expressed concern about learners dropouts at the school.
He also raised challenges such as shortage of staff, dilapidated fence as well as an urgent need for additional classrooms in order to cater for Grade 10 and 11 learners for the new educational curriculum.
At the moment, the school has classes up to Grade 9, comprising of three makeshift classrooms. The principal also said the school needs electricity from the national grid as it currently relies on solar powered electricity which has become less effective.
“Lack of infrastructure is affecting us, we have a scenario where Grade One class has 55 pupils which is beyond the allowed carrying capacity of 35. Especially, lower grades are overcrowded. We therefore need assistance in such areas,” stated Kalimbo.
With regard to electricity, the councillor for Eengodi constituency Protasius Neshuku said they are aware about the issue of electricity and that it has been part of the Constituency Development Committee’s priority.
“We have noted that Oomanya is the only big school in the constituency without electricity, therefore, we are trying our best so that it can be electrified, even though there are still other schools without power,” he said.
Airing further challenges, Kalimbo said staff and learners are using the bush when nature calls because there are no ablution facilities.
“The year is almost ending and we are supposed to have an additional grade but nothing has been done to date to put up a structure. We don’t know what to do. We have, however, engaged parents to put together funds to at least construct a makeshift as a temporary measure,” stressed teacher Voster Hamata.