Ongwediva - Omusati education director Benny Eiseb is concerned about schools which have been without clean water for the past two months.
He said for September and October, the education directorate had outstanding invoices of over N$20 million for water, electricity, catering for hostels and the school-feeding programme.
According to the director, they only have N$34 million to take them to the end of the financial year in March next year, which is not enough.
Their monthly expenditure is over N$20 million.
On Thursday, Eiseb informed Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila about the challenges faced by the schools in the region during her visit.
He also mentioned a lack of hostels, and said some learners have planned a demonstration for early November because they are tired of suffering.
“We had two schools which had their water cut off by the Outapi Town Council. Our water at the regional education office was also cut off due to outstanding debts,” he stated.
Eiseb explained that last Monday, the water at the David Sheehama Senior Secondary School and the Outapi Primary School was reconnected after he reached an agreement with the Outapi Town Council.
“We wanted to send the learners of David Sheehama SSS home, but we were worried about their exams. So, we decided to talk to the town council to bring back the water,” he added.
Furthermore, the regional public library’s water has likewise been cut off completely, and the situation is bad there.
Eiseb said some schools are depending on the community borehole, which supplies insufficient water to all.
“We have received warning letters from the Okahao, Ruacana and Outapi town councils to settle our outstanding debts immediately,” he emphasised.
In her response, the Prime Minister said a lack of coordination is the main contributing factor to the town councils threatening to cut off water and electricity.
She urged the town councils and the education directorate to always meet and find amicable solutions to problems because it’s not good when learners don’t have water at schools.
“Water is life; water is very important. The government will remain committed to solving the water crisis in the region,” she promised.