OSHILEMBA – The principal of Oshilemba Combined School, Teeleleni Shaanyenenge, has expressed concern about the performance of the school, because qualified teachers deliberately avoid rural areas.
Oshilemba Combined School is situated in the Tsandi circuit in the Omusati Region, and has a learner population of about 400 and 12 teachers. Shaanyenenge said the school currently has four vacant teaching posts. “We received more than 100 applications, but none of the applications came from qualified teachers,” noted Shaanyenenge.
He said they still have to re-advertise the vacant posts before they appoint the unqualified teachers. He further said teachers who are employed are already starting to request transfers, because the bush allowance incentive still does not make a difference. According to him teachers are still not motivated, because they only receive a bush allowance of N$750. The principal told New Era in an exclusive interview that next year the school is expected to teach 50 Grade 1 learners in one classroom. “Teachers houses are needed here because, we only have a two-bedroom house which is shared by both male and female teachers.
Luckily we only have one male teacher who is accommodated at school and five female teachers that are now sharing one room,” he said. He said the school is also in need of chairs and desks. “Year in and year out we have placed orders, but there is no answer. We don’t have enough chairs and desks for learners. We need about 100 chairs and desks,” noted the principal. On pregnancy reports at the school he said the school only received one such report, while last year alone they received five pregnancy reports. According to the principal there is a lot of improvement at the school such as electricity and toilet facilities.
By Loide Jason