KABBE – Learners in flood-affected areas of Kabbe South and Kabbe North risk their lives daily in pursuit of education as they navigate dangerous waters filled with snakes, crocodiles and hippos.

At Muzi Combined School, principal Robert Shakwa said the situation has worsened significantly this year, with the school now surrounded by water.

“Currently, the school is surrounded by water. The impact we are seeing this year is far worse compared to previous years,” he said.

He added that all feeder villages, including Muzii, Ikaba, Maunga, Nantungu, Jimu, Jojo, Bulila and Silila, are now totally cut off, making access to the school extremely difficult.

“All our learners come from villages that are totally cut off. The water levels are too deep to walk through,” he said.

The school intervened for more learners to squeeze into the small available community hostel.

However, there is a long and deep stream between the actual school and the community hostel, which is also dangerous for them.

Dangerous

With no functional school boat, learners are forced to rely on a few dugout canoes provided by community members.

“We don’t have a speedboat. Only a few parents have canoes, and they ferry about 200 learners. It takes time and disrupts learning,” Shakwa said.

He added that the school’s boat is currently not operational, leaving both learners and teachers stranded.

The situation is mirrored at other schools in the floodplains.

One principal in the Mpukano area, who preferred anonymity, said learners are exposed to life-threatening risks daily.

“Learners have to be ferried in dugout canoes through dangerous waters, where there are crocodiles and hippos,” the principal said.

Snakes

Additionally, floodwater has also driven dangerous animals into school premises, further endangering both learners and staff.

“All the reptiles, snakes, rats and others are now here. Just the other day, we killed a snake in a teacher’s house. The other snake is still hiding in one of the teacher’s houses,” Shakwa said.

The principal described similar conditions, saying rodents have taken over classrooms.

“We killed more than 50 rats in one classroom in a single morning. Some classes are no longer usable because of the smell from dead rats,” the principal said.

As a result, some lessons are now conducted outdoors.

“We have two classes that are conducted under trees because classrooms are not suitable anymore,” the principal added.

The flooding has also triggered health concerns among learners.

“There are outbreaks of eye infections and skin rashes among learners,” Shakwa said.

Teachers are equally affected, with some staff accommodation already flooded.

“Water has entered some teachers’ bedrooms. The houses are severely damaged,” he said.

Meanwhile, some learners are forced to stay at school, sleeping in overcrowded classrooms or makeshift hostels to avoid the dangerous commute.

Learning disrupted

Flood conditions have led to irregular attendance as families struggle to balance schooling with survival.

“In most cases, the same canoes used to take learners to school are also needed for fishing, which is their livelihood,” the principal said.

“One day, learners come, and the next day they don’t,” he added.

He said some parents bring children to school to stay temporarily, but space constraints make this difficult.

“We are not a hostel but we are forced to accommodate them out of care,” he said.

School authorities say urgent intervention is needed, including functional boats and long-term infrastructure solutions.

Shakwa confirmed that plans underway to elevate the school.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. Officials recently visited regarding the uplifting of the school,” he said.

– anakale@nepc.com.na