Hango Salom, a secretary at Leinge Private School, was Wednesday granted bail after he was arrested for allegedly stealing examination question papers and answers for a learner, suspected to be his girlfriend. 

Salom (31) appeared in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court Wednesday and was released on a bail bond of N$1 000. 

His case has been postponed to 26 February 2024 for further police investigation. 

According to police reports, Salom and his 17-year-old girlfriend, who is a grade 9 learner at the Oneheke Combined School in the Omusati region and the mother of his child, were arrested on Monday on a charge of theft.

The girlfriend, being a minor, was later released into the care of her guardian.

It is alleged the learner took examination papers to study at school with her fellow learners, who later discovered she had the question papers and answers of the subject they had to write on the following day.

The learners alerted the school principal, and she was then questioned about where she got the question papers.

Executive director of the Ministry of Education, Art and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said such criminal activities should be reported as soon as possible. “The ministry will not tolerate school staff who are leaking examinations. Therefore, teachers and staff should refrain from doing corrupt activities at school,” she urged.

A similar incident happened in the Kavango East region earlier this year.

Steenkamp said school principals should always ensure examination papers are being kept in a safe room, where they cannot be accessed by everyone.

“People should be professional at school. Let us adhere to the examination regulations,” she said.

Steenkamp said offenders will go through disciplinary processes at their schools. 

 - fhamalwa@nepc.com.na