νLorato Khobetsi

The influx of people to urban areas such as Mariental and Rehoboth in the Hardap region has resulted in overcrowding in schools, hence the decision by the Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture in the Hardap Regional Council to establish two new schools in those towns.

In an interview with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, regional education director Gerhard Ndafenongo said the construction and establishment of schools in the Hardap region is a quick solution to curb overcrowding at some schools as well as to make it easier for teachers to give individual attention to learners. 

“We have discussed with local school principals to squeeze these learners into the existing facilities, and they have to take note of the learners who were added. Those are the ones we are going to remove and send to the new school (in Mariental),” he explained.

The Aimablaagte Primary School in Mariental will open its doors at the beginning of March when contractors are expected to hand over the first  completed six classrooms, as well as the office and ablution facilities. Once completed, the school will consist of 24 classrooms and accommodate 840 learners from pre-primary to Grade 7.  The construction of the school will cost N$10 million.

Manfred Isaack, the principal of the Mariental Primary School, welcomed and thanked the education ministry for the construction of the school as it will lighten the burden on the teachers at his school, who are currently teaching up to 59 learners in some classes. 

The policy by the ministry of education stipulates that the classroom ratio should be 35 learners per teacher, and 25 learners per teacher for Grade 0. 

According to Isaack, the ministry has in the past tried to address the issue of overcrowding by constructing extra classrooms, but the issue is persisting due to the demands from the community. 

“The school currently under construction will really limit the overcrowding of learners at our school. It is also closer to the new location and Takarania, and those learners can be accommodated there. I would really like to applaud the ministry of education. It is a good thing, in the long run, as the new school will accommodate all the learners who can’t be accommodated in other schools,” he added.

•Lorato Khobetsi is an information officer in the MICT Hardap office.