John Muyamba
Nkurenkuru-Kavango West Region is yet to get subject advisors, among other key positions, since the separation of education administration with Kavango East Region in September last year.
This situation has raised fears that the region’s education would be adversely affected, especially the Grade 10 and 12 results.
Kavango West, with 177 schools and seven education circuits, has no single advisory teacher while key positions remain vacant.
The region needs more than 10 advisory teachers, two senior education planners, as it only has one chief education planner, and two school counsellors.
It also needs a senior education officer, who will be in charge of the HIV RACE coordinator’s office, as well as one inspector of education plus additional administrative officers to support the administration of the regional education headquarters.
New Era followed up the situation with the education director of the region, Teopolina Hamutumua, who confirmed the situation and said the region is grappling with difficulties related to a lack of subject advisors.
She said in the past, subject advisors from Kavango East would assist but stopped since the administration changed.
“So far only 39 percent of the total staff establishment for the regional office is appointed. Therefore, we are finding it extremely hard to cope with the workload having so many key positions vacant, pending approval as directed PSM circular 11/2017 by Cabinet,” Hamutumua said.
At the Kavango West Regional Office for Education, only 69 staff have been appointed to date and about 105 posts are still vacant. The region started working independently from September last year after a director was appointed.
Its staff is all based in Kavango East Region due to lack of facilities in Kavango West, during that time they would then use the services of the education officials from Kavango East but it stopped when the officials relocated permanently to their offices in Nkurenkuru.
Since the current financial crisis took root it has not been possible to request officials like subject advisors and other officials needed to travel from Kavango East to go and assist Kavango West education directorate.