By Albertina Nakale
WINDHOEK – The Khomas Education Directorate has revealed it does not have any more space for Grade 1 learners in the region.
There are, however, about 476 learners that still need to be placed in Grade 1.
With the schools expected to re-open on Tuesday next week, more parents are expected to flock to different schools in search for places for their children who will be needing Grade 1 enrolment.
Over the years, parents whose children need places for Grade 1 normally endure harsh conditions such as the cold weather at the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, as they spend sleepless nights on school grounds with the hope of getting first place for their children.
Speaking to New Era yesterday, Khomas Region Education Director, Jerard Vries, confirmed that places for Grade 1 are full.
“We have already enrolled the Grade 1s for 2015. There is still a number of about 476 learners that still need to be placed. These numbers are, however, subject to change once the schools commence and physical head-count of learners can establish as to how many places have become available,” Vries said.
He attributed the high number of learners to parents who may have applied for placement at various schools and in so doing the statistics do not give an accurate picture.
Further, Vries said the exact number of learners that are enrolled will only be available after the 15th day of the 2015 academic year.
“This is so because schools will then have stable enrolment statistics since not all learners report for school on the first day due to various reasons such as transport arrangements from the places of origin,” he explained.
When asked if there is a possibility of learners being taught in erected tents as done previously, Vries said that will only be determined after school commences and all learners report for class.
However, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Alfred Ilukena, told New Era that flocking for Grade 1 places is brought about by parents who normally move with their families from one town to another due to various reasons such as employment.
“You can’t get it right. There are so many parents that have moved to different towns due to various factors such as employment and their kids need places. Hence, they will be those parents who will be queuing up looking for placement for the children, because when we enrolled their kids were not registered,” Ilukena said.