Shoki Kandjimi 

Deputy education minister Faustina Caley has expressed her satisfaction with the completion of ablution facilities at schools in the Kavango East region.

Caley said this when she undertook a visit to the region recently to assess the renovation and construction of ablution facilities ahead of the resumption of schools this week. 

This is after the ministry dispatched N$38 million to the Kavango East region to address sanitation matters at schools as a way to curb the further spread of Covid-19.  

“I am satisfied thus far because we looked at four schools, Rundu Senior Primary, Ndama, Kayengona and Mayana Combined School. Out of these four, only Kayengona is disappointing. We received the best results at Mayana, where the contractor just did this project within a month, but he delivered good quality work,” she said. 

She further said that the ministry expects the contractors of these ablution facilities to do it in a short period without compromising the quality. 

The politician said this will ensure that learners have access to sanitation facilities.  

Rundu Senior Primary School principal, Stefanus Sikongo commended the ministry for making funds available to the schools countrywide, saying that it will resolve most of the sanitation issues the schools face. The school previously only had eight toilets for 570 learners and was almost closed due to a sanitation crisis. 

“Previously, we only had two toilet pots for boys and only three for girls. Now with the extra ablution facilities at least we got eight extra. This means it’s a big relief to our learners,” Sikongo said.     

The deputy minister was, however, not happy with the little to no progress made by Rundu Vocational Training Centre (RVTC) as a contractor at Kayengona Combined School. RVTC was tasked to renovate the school’s ablution block last year but no renovation work could be noticed during the assessment visit.   

“I was here when we dispatched the money to the different regions and we were promised by then that within a week they will finish. But today when we arrived, the work was still outstanding the way we left it last time,” she said.   

Caley instructed the work inspectors to take action against the contractor. She was concerned with learners returning to school this week and finding an incomplete ablution block.  

The RVTC representative who was present during the deputy minister’s visit and who refused to be named promised to resolve the issues facing them and complete the renovations in due course.