Mweshipandeka learners still not accommodated

TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA

ONGWEDIVA

Despite the first school term beginning on 26 January, learners in grades eight to 10 who live in the Mweshipandeka Senior Secondary School hostel have yet to start school. This due to renovations to the hostel – including installing new ceilings, repairing toilets and bathrooms and doing electrical wiring – which started in January.

Currently, only the grade 11 are accommodated in the hostel.

According to principal Josef Nangombe, worried parents have been calling him daily for updates.

“It is a very stressful situation for everyone. We are also not happy that the hostel is not ready, because learners from nearby villages and other towns have nowhere to stay. I am trying my best to ensure all renovations are complete, but it is not in my hands,” he said.

Nangombe said government is currently facing a deficit in the approved material and this is contributing to the delay.

“The inspectors of the buildings are the ones advising the office of education and without their approval, nothing can be done,” he said.

700 learners

The school and its management are currently in talks on how to handle the situation and are looking at other means to accommodate the learners.

“The parents have suggested we look for nearby places to house the learners until the completion of the hostels, but this is going to be challenging as there are more than 700 learners who are need of the hostel. Accommodation here in Ongwediva is already expensive and there are not enough facilities to cater for everyone,” he said.

When contacted for comment, education regional director of the Oshana Region, Hileni Amukana, said she is aware of the situation, but cannot comment as she is yet to visit the school and make her own assessments.