2018-04-11Staff Report 2 Clemans Miyanicwe Kamanjab Some parents of the school-going children at Anker settlement are not in favour of their children being relocated to Fransfontein, a settlement which is situated over 50 km kilometres from Edward Garoeb Primary School that recently experienced some earth tremors. There are plans to relocate the school, which is home to 327 learners and 15 teachers, to Frans Frederick Primary School at the beginning of the second term on May 21 according to the education director of Kunene Region, Angeline Jantze. Anker is situated in the epicentre of Kaoko Orogenic Belt, which is a regional tectonic unit on the north-west coast of Namibia. Fransfontein is more than fifty kilometres from Anker. Jantze told New Era last Friday that education authorities have requested the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture permanent secretary for special permission for the pupils to be on holiday until the beginning of the second term while plans are underway for renovations at Frans Frederick Primary School where the learners will be relocated. “We requested special permission from the PS so that pupils will be on holiday while we sort out things at Fransfontein,” Jantze revealed. The Kunene education authorities will also work out how the teaching backlog will be cleared as Anker pupils lost out on teaching. “We as a directorate will bring everything on board and at the moment we are busy with the groundwork for renovations,” Jantze said. Edward Garoeb Primary School principal Linus Tjivahe said: “I don’t care where we are going, as long as we are moving. It’s better to move so I am happy as long as we are out of this place.” However, some parents are not happy about the planned relocation as they feel it will be difficult to transport their children to Fransfontein. School board member Ryno Awiseb said initially the situation was worrying due to frequent tremors but that the earth no longer trembles. “Relocating children to Fransfontein is impossible as most parents who were in favour of it do not support it anymore, therefore we asked for the relocation to be halted,” Awiseb insisted. He said some parents have already taken their children to Erongo and other parts of Kunene to attend school and some have threatened to get their children out of school if the planned relocation goes ahead. Thirty parents are said to be against the planned relocation of their children to a much more secure place. “Some parents will not allow their children to be relocated and would rather keep their children at home,” warned Awiseb. Awiseb also wanted to know if the government will provide transport for both parents and children if the relocation goes ahead. “Even if that is provided, with the budget cuts happening anytime we are not sure if that will last,” Awiseb said. Arnold Gaseb, a father to one child at Edward Garoeb Primary School, said, “The school must be renovated rather than for the children to be relocated.” Gaeseb said during the parents’ meetings held early this month the majority sentiment was that more parents feel renovations should take place to repair the cracks caused by the tremors rather than to relocate the learners. 2018-04-11Staff Report 2
