NKURENKURU – The ministry of education is currently working around the clock to install water tanks at some 54 schools in the Kavango West region. Most of the schools are located in remote areas where there is a huge backlog in the provision of potable water. 
Kavango West education director Teopolina Hamutumua said the directorate is being assisted by the ministry of agriculture to ensure the successful completion of the projects. “We have received funding to install water tanks at each school. The process required for the installation of water tanks to schools without water and delivery thereof has started,” she told New Era in an interview this week. 
“We have a truck that will be taking water to these schools because now it will be easier with the installed tanks. Most of these schools are those with small enrolments of mostly less than 100 learners in remote areas and villages that have no water.” Hamutumua also said the region is ready to resume with the learning and teaching as expected by the ministry of education, which has since issued guidelines on how learning will take place. 

“We are doing as expected by the ministry which has acquired masks for grade 11 and 12 pupils and for pre-primary to grade 3 learners. The deliveries are expected in the course of this week for distribution to schools,” Hamutumua said. Cabinet recently endorsed a plan to reopen schools on 3 June for critical grades such as 11 and 12 to resume face-to-face classes as part of phase 1 to finish the academic year on 18 December 2020. 

Phase 2 will see the resumption of pre-primary to grade 3 on 22 June until 18 December 2020. This will be followed by the resumption of face-to-face teaching for grades 7 and 9 in phase 3, starting 6 July until 18 December. Grades 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 are expected to return to the classroom on 20 July as part of phase 4. Hamutumua said all schools will be provided with thermometers to determine the temperature of learners and teachers as well as every individual entering the school premises.

“The basic training will be provided to this effect. Additional thermal guns for bigger schools that require more than one will also be procured. Our directorate has started with the necessary process to acquire these items through the emergency procurement methods,” she said. “Masks for adult learners and of some other grades will be produced locally here in the region, which will also empower our local tailors.” The director also noted that the process to acquire necessary detergent for all schools is also underway. The directorate of education has also set up a regional workplace, occupational health wellness committee and safety committee as per public service management circular No.5 of 2020.   
“Education circuits and schools are also expected to set up workplace, occupational health wellness committee and safety committee to discuss overall wellbeing of the regional, circuit, school and community to identify challenges and make recommendations to the directorate management,” she noted. 
– jmuyamba@nepc.com.na