Khorixas
The hostel of Edward //Garoeb Primary School at the village of Anker is in such a sorry state that last year girls were moved out of the hostel as a precautionary measure as it was deemed unsafe for them to reside in as its walls are on the verge of collapsing.
A parent who spoke on a condition of anonymity told New Era recently that last year during the last term girls were moved out of the hostel block and accommodated in other rooms which other female hostel boarders normally reside in.
“There are no windows. Ceilings were falling down and its walls have gaping holes and cracks. It would have fallen on the girls had they not moved out,” lamented one parent.
Rooms where the female hostel boarders are sheltered are also said to be overcrowded with some rooms accommodating up to twelve girls.
The hostel boarders are said to have to jump over sewerage water that flows out from blocked drains which are nearby the dining hall where they receive their meals.
“It’s very bad. It’s sad as nearby the fireplace where hostel boarders prepare their meals sewerage water flows and during the break the hostel boarders sit nearby that sewerage water and eat their meals,” lamented the concerned parent.
The toilets in the boys dormitory are also not working and the hostel cleaners usually have to pour water into the toilet pots to flush them because they have been blocked for many years.
Hostel workers also do not have gloves and protective masks to use when they clean the toilets.
There are 20 institutional workers at Edward //Garoeb Primary School hostel that has 220 boarders.
The principal of Edward //Garoeb Primary School Linus Tjavahe confirmed to New Era that girls were moved out of the block as it was unsuitable to live in as it could fall down anytime.
“A wall almost fell on them,” Tjavahe said. The school was built in the 1950’s and mostly accommodates children of rural communities around Anker and has classes from Grade 1-7.
Tjavahe said the problems were reported to the Ministry of Works and Transport that has yet to respond.
Director of Education Benny Eiseb said people should not use the media to address the problems experienced at schools but they should rather use the right channels such as reporting them to the regional education director or the circuit inspectors.
Eiseb further said that the Kunene Region has only been given about N$3.5 million for renovations.
“One school at Outjo is already requesting N$1 million for renovations. We will need N$40 million to renovate schools in our region. It is a vast region and we have to look at the number of pupils too,” Eiseb said.