OMEGA 3 – In the remote village of Omega 3, located within the Bwabwata National Park in the Zambezi region, teachers at Ndoro Memorial Combined School are more than just educators. 

They are the community’s emergency transport providers. Due to the lack of health facilities and proper transport in the area, teachers often use their vehicles to ferry sick community members to the nearest clinic, which is over 50 kilometres away in Chetto. 

The school’s acting principal, Rhonnel Sikenda, highlighted the difficult conditions that the school and community face daily. 

“Teachers’ cars are the ones helping in the community,” Sikenda said. 

Interestingly, teachers do this pro bono, and purely out of goodwill. Most community members cannot even afford to pay transport fees. “If someone falls sick, the community will come to the school and ask teachers to take them to the clinics. No one assists with petrol when transporting sick people. It’s just teachers sacrificing to assist the marginalised community,” she continued. 

Another significant challenge the school faces is the lack of proper accommodation for teachers and learners. 

Many teachers have resorted to building mud houses. In addition, some learners are forced to sleep in small, poorly-secured tents. 

“It’s dangerous because people and wild animals are always passing through. Some learners sleep in the open in small tents that don’t even close properly. We can’t wait for the hostel to be completed,” said Sikenda. 

At the moment, the government is in the process of constructing a state-of-the-art hostel to provide safe and decent accommodation for the learners. 

While the buildings are nearly complete, contractors are still finishing essential installations, such as wiring and water supply. 

If all goes as planned, the hostel is expected to open by April. Because the school is located within Bwabwata National Park, wildlife sightings are a regular occurrence. This situation poses a constant threat to learners and teachers. 

As such, Sikenda emphasised the urgent need for a protective fence around the school. 

“We are in a park. Sometimes, while you’re teaching, wild animals like elephant calves and hyenas pass by. We have been asking for good Samaritans to help provide a fence. But so far, no one has come to our rescue,” she said. 

Apart from security concerns, the school struggles with inadequate water supply. 

The existing water source is not fit for human consumption, often turning brownish, and having an oily or rusty appearance. 

“The water we have changes colours. You can’t even use it to make tea. We carry our drinking water from Katima Mulilo when we go for weekends,” Sikenda said. 

The new hostel under construction is expected to bring some relief to the water crisis by providing two boreholes. 

This will benefit surrounding villages. 

Adding to the list of hardships, the school does not have a functional feeding programme. The absence of food has led to high absenteeism. 

Students often leave school to join their parents in the forest, searching for mopane worms and wild fruits to eat or sell. 

“Most of these kids depend on the feeding programme. Even some parents come to eat at the school. ‘Without food, learners don’t attend classes regularly because they have to find ways to survive, Sikenda continued. 

The school is uncertain as to when it will receive the necessary supplies to restart the feeding programme. 

This leaves many students at risk of malnutrition. Despite the overwhelming challenges, Ndoro Memorial Combined School continues to strive for academic excellence. In 2024, the school achieved a 60% overall pass rate, with 45% of grade 11 learners advancing to the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level, and 55% qualifying for higher education institutions. Sikenda stressed that without proper infrastructure and resources, sustaining this performance will be difficult. The school urgently needs a science lab, a staff-room for teachers, furniture, electricity, a workshop for design and technology, stationery, printing materials and a library. 

With 253 learners from pre-primary to grade 11, Ndoro Memorial remains a beacon of hope for the marginalised Khwe community. “Our teachers are sacrificing a lot, but we need help. We are appealing to anyone who can assist in any way – either with food, infrastructure or transport. Our learners deserve a safe and proper learning environment,” pleaded Sikenda. 

-anakale@nepc.com.na