Windhoek
The Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation sent home officials and remaining students from the Loudima Institute for Technical and Vocational Training in Congo-Brazzaville, while it attends to unresolved issues at the school.
Among pending issues are accusations that officials did not have employment contracts and were not paid allowances.
The returnees join Namibian students who recently terminated their studies because of alleged unbearable academic and living conditions at the school.
Government decided that in the meantime the remaining Namibian learners and officials at Loudima should return home by end of March for a three-month holiday.
“The three months will be used by the technical team to finalise all the outstanding challenges at the institution,” reads a statement issued by the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation spokesperson Helena Udjombala.
The teachers, who requested anonymity, said that they had no syllabus and curriculum, which hindered them from carrying out their duties.
The teachers also said they only got their appointment letters in March last year but no employment contracts.
A teacher who arrived from Loudima recently told New Era that they did not receive their US$500 monthly allowance, which they were informed about during a meeting at the National Institute for Education Development (NIED) office in Okahandja, while the Office of the Prime Minister was to work out the cost of living allowance.
While in Congo the teachers were supposed to attend a six-month French course but only attended for three weeks, he said.
“In the absence of the syllabus, we were told to teach learners what we know to keep them busy. NIED gave us nothing. We were told they (NIED) received the curriculum in French from Congo which had to be translated into English, but the English version was not provided to us,” the teacher said further.
Teaching stopped on January 12 after gunshots were heard during a confrontation between the students and the local police.
The teacher said that although accommodation is provided it is “average” because they have no electricity and water all the time. “In the toilets we use buckets.”
Teachers said the Namibian government intervened and is now putting up solar powered street lights and installing generators for pumping water from a river.
Udjombala said the teachers employed at Loudima are appointed in line with public service regulations, and are thus on the ministry’s payroll.
“They are receiving the allowance from the institution. The ongoing discussion is whether this allowance is sufficient to cover their living expenses,” she said.
Udjombala indicated that the newly established higher education ministry was formally introduced to the Loudima project in October 2015 and immediately thereafter in November 2015 a number of concerns were registered with the ministry.
Highlighting what the ministry had done, Udjombala said the curriculum and the syllabus, both in French and English, are now at the school.
The textbooks have also been purchased and were delivered last week at Loudima.
Udjombala further said the ministry acknowledges the need to extend French lessons.
On utilities, she said: “Provision of water and electricity to the institute will be expected to be completed. The technical team from the ministry of works and development from Boanza were instructed to do everything possible to ensure water and that electricity is connected to the national system within nine months.”
She added that the ministry approached the Ministry of Health and Social Services to supply the institute’s clinic with medical supplies.