RUNDU - Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo has urged learners and teachers at the tented ‘Rundu project school’ to soldier on despite the harsh circumstances.

Wakudumo visited the project school earlier this week to assess the situation on the ground, where a mixture of grade 8, 9 and 10 learners are now being taught after they could not get placements at existing schools at Rundu.

“I came to see the conditions you happen to find yourselves in, and also to encourage you to, despite the conditions, remain committed. I always say, it’s not about having the best school but it’s about what is happening in the classrooms. So, whether in a tent or in the open, if you are a qualified and committed teacher, you can still deliver,” Wakudumo said.

The governor said the learners should expect their permanent school buildings soon.

“We are working around the clock to make sure that the contractor gets on site so that they start with the physical construction of the school,” Wakudumo told the teachers who have recently been transferred from different schools in the region.

Last year, the ministry of education availed N$20 million for additional classrooms to be built at existing schools, but has now diverted the funds to the construction of a fully-fledged school to cater for the learners currently taught in tents. 

A portion of this budget will also be used to get permanent classrooms at the Siguruguru Primary School in the Tumweneni informal settlement on the southeastern outskirts of Rundu. The school operates from a makeshift structure. 

The tender is currently running, and a contractor will soon be awarded to start construction.

- jmuyamba@nepc.com.na