Cecilia Iyambo

The directorate of education in the Kavango East region has decided to take charge of Siguruguru Junior Primary School, which previously could not be approved and registered due to its establishment on illegal land.
Deputy education director Pontianus Musore said the directorate formally registered the school and were currently busy transferring teachers from over-staffed schools to Siguruguru.
“We already registered the school and we are in the process of transferring qualified teachers from other schools in the region to the new school,” he said.
Volunteer teachers previously taught learners at the school and this prompted the directorate to intervene. The school, which currently has about 230 learners, was established last year by an unemployed member of the Tumweneni community, Joy Mugungu after realising that children in that community were not attending schools due to the long distances to the nearby schools and lack of space. However, the school could not be registered due to land disputes between the community and the Rundu Town council. Mugungu who welcomed the government’s intervention was however not pleased with the way the process was conducted, stating that the directorate should have given her recognition as the founder of the school.
“It is good that the government took over but they cannot dump me in the street like that, I am the founder of that school, it’s not fair; they should appreciate my effort,” she said. Commenting on the complaint, Musore said that if new teachers are to be employed at the school, the due process of recruitment will be followed. He added if there are vacancies, they will be advertised and everyone who qualifies for the positions will be given an opportunity to apply.
Furthermore, Musore said the town council offered the directorate another area where the school can be relocated. However, this exercise is yet to be carried out, as consultations with the town council are still ongoing.
Sam Nekaro, acting CEO of the Rundu Town council, confirmed that they offered the directorate an option to find another area for the school to be relocated temporarily while they sort out the land issue with the community.
“We advised the directorate to identify another place close to that community because the land on which the school was established is illegally occupied. There is an eviction order from the court, therefore, we cannot intervene and such establishments were not supposed to be put up in that settlement,” he said.
Nekaro further added that the reason for the eviction is to allow town council to survey the land and install the necessary amenities needed for a residential area.