Masua blasts Nghipondoka over hostel conditions
The country’s youngest MP has asked the education minister to apologise for squalid hostel conditions, saying she cannot be ‘partisan’ on issues of education.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
Swapo’s youngest member of parliament Patience Masua on Tuesday broke ranks with her fellow party member and minister of education Anna Nghipondoka over the state of school hostels in the country.
Masua put the minister to the sword after shocking images of the hostels of Otjerundu Combined School in the Kunene Region - where children live in squalid conditions – circulated on social media.
Masua (23) said government owed the nation an apology over the state of hostels, to the applause of fellow MPs in the National Assembly.
It is rare occurrence to see a Swapo MP posing questions to fellow party members who serve in Cabinet, especially on an unflattering subject.
When the pictures emerged recently, Nghipondoka told Parliament that they were old and thus did not depict the current situation at the school.
Days later, education executive director Sanet Steenkamp said the pictures were taken from the ‘self-made’ informal hostel blocks.
However, government this week announced that Otjerundu hostel is indeed in need of beds and mattresses, and that 83 mattresses were bought and delivered to the school on 17 February.
The ministry also announced that 22 double-bunker beds had been procured, but were yet to be delivered.
Can’t be partisan
Despite the eleventh-hour efforts to remedy the situation, Masua, a former secretary-general of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), said the Otjerundu situation should not be treated in isolation as many other schools across the country have similar challenges.
“There are some issues that we cannot be partisan about,” the young MP said.
“I think we all owe the Namibian nation and the Namibian child an apology for the state in which our hostels are in. I want to know from the minister how often, for our sustainability, are we going to do audits of our hostels and what is the update of that particular school. Is there a possibility for us to go out and do an audit on the state of our schools and hostels?” she asked.
‘Not a secret’
Nghipondoka responded that the condition of hostels in the country is not a secret because they are old and have not been maintained since independence.
However, when resources become available, they are renovated one by one.
“This year we have, I think, [renovated] more than four hostels - Andimba Toiva ya Toivo, Nehale in Oshikoto and many that are going on. We are still planning and it depends on resources. Something close to the audit, we came up with analysis with infrastructure needs and part of it is breaking down all the infrastructural needs in the ministry.
“We have a huge backlog; I cannot deny that. In every circumstance, you do what you can with what you have. I cannot cut my nails and start building today because there are not hostels,” she said.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
Swapo’s youngest member of parliament Patience Masua on Tuesday broke ranks with her fellow party member and minister of education Anna Nghipondoka over the state of school hostels in the country.
Masua put the minister to the sword after shocking images of the hostels of Otjerundu Combined School in the Kunene Region - where children live in squalid conditions – circulated on social media.
Masua (23) said government owed the nation an apology over the state of hostels, to the applause of fellow MPs in the National Assembly.
It is rare occurrence to see a Swapo MP posing questions to fellow party members who serve in Cabinet, especially on an unflattering subject.
When the pictures emerged recently, Nghipondoka told Parliament that they were old and thus did not depict the current situation at the school.
Days later, education executive director Sanet Steenkamp said the pictures were taken from the ‘self-made’ informal hostel blocks.
However, government this week announced that Otjerundu hostel is indeed in need of beds and mattresses, and that 83 mattresses were bought and delivered to the school on 17 February.
The ministry also announced that 22 double-bunker beds had been procured, but were yet to be delivered.
Can’t be partisan
Despite the eleventh-hour efforts to remedy the situation, Masua, a former secretary-general of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), said the Otjerundu situation should not be treated in isolation as many other schools across the country have similar challenges.
“There are some issues that we cannot be partisan about,” the young MP said.
“I think we all owe the Namibian nation and the Namibian child an apology for the state in which our hostels are in. I want to know from the minister how often, for our sustainability, are we going to do audits of our hostels and what is the update of that particular school. Is there a possibility for us to go out and do an audit on the state of our schools and hostels?” she asked.
‘Not a secret’
Nghipondoka responded that the condition of hostels in the country is not a secret because they are old and have not been maintained since independence.
However, when resources become available, they are renovated one by one.
“This year we have, I think, [renovated] more than four hostels - Andimba Toiva ya Toivo, Nehale in Oshikoto and many that are going on. We are still planning and it depends on resources. Something close to the audit, we came up with analysis with infrastructure needs and part of it is breaking down all the infrastructural needs in the ministry.
“We have a huge backlog; I cannot deny that. In every circumstance, you do what you can with what you have. I cannot cut my nails and start building today because there are not hostels,” she said.
[email protected]
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