Julia Kamarenga
Sewerage, water supply, hostel block renovation and extensions are some areas being prioritised and receiving urgent attention from the Covid-19 budget allocated to the Omaheke region.
This was announced during a recent visit by the director general of National Planning Commission Obeth Kandjoze to some of the benefitting schools in the Otjinene constituency.
Expressing satisfaction at the progress, Kandjoze commended schools for liaising with maintenance divisions at preliminary stages to diminish the government’s high level of investment in the education sector.
He further urged schools to ensure contractors deliver quality work to the value of the money spent.
Regional director of education Pecka Semba says the annual budget allocated to the regions is but a drop in the ocean, as it is too minimal to patch up and also cater for capital projects.
Semba also pleaded with the relevant authorities to reconsider the criteria for budget allocations.
“Some regions such as Omaheke are too vast and communities are more dependent on boarding schools; therefore, that should be a motivating factor to allocate more funds for hostel construction and renovations,” said Semba.
Kandjoze further advised for a rebalancing of the needs with what is currently available.