Education projects on track, but three schools lag

The education ministry says most of its capital projects for 2025/26 are on track, but progress has lagged at three schools, where contractors are facing closer scrutiny.

Delivering a ministerial statement in the National Assembly last week, deputy minister Dino Ballotti provided an update on capital projects under budget vote 40 on behalf of minister Sanet Steenkamp.

“In providing a brief summary overview, we are pleased to share that the majority of budgeted projects for the 2025/26 financial year are advancing as planned,” Ballotti told members of parliament.

He said education infrastructure across the country remains “satisfactory” but added it is not yet “where we intend to be”, as the ministry continues to implement its national decongestion plan, prioritising overcrowded schools and communities.

Despite the overall positive outlook, Ballotti acknowledged setbacks at three sites. “Transparently, we are experiencing slow progress with three capital projects, which has raised concern,” he said.

The affected projects are Mix Primary School in the Khomas region, Tubusis Primary School in the Daures constituency, and new hostel facilities at Onkumbula Combined School in the Oshikoto region. “We can share that targeted monitoring and corrective measures are being applied to address the delays or non-performance of the contractors,” Ballotti told parliament.

Good progress

On a more positive note, Ballotti reported that construction at Oshikunde Combined School, Otjomuise Primary School and Kamanjab Resource School is “progressing at a satisfactory speed and remain on schedule for near completion.”

The deputy minister added that the construction of new pre-primary classrooms, additional classrooms and other education facilities at existing schools also remains on track, with most projects expected to be completed by June.

Four more project sites – Rukonga Vision School, Aussenkehr Combined School, Bravel Primary School and Katima Mulilo Modern School – were handed over to contractors in September 2025, with construction now underway. Initial site progress reports are expected by the end of the month.

Ballotti further revealed that seven projects are currently under adjudication by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia. These include new schools such as Epembe Secondary School, Havana Primary School and Ehangano Primary School, as well as major renovations at Mureti Secondary School.

New hostel facilities under adjudication include Drimiopsis Primary School, Ashipala Secondary School and Grootfontein Secondary School. Two additional hostel projects at Onamutai and the new Oshakati South Primary School are still at the documentation stage and are expected to be submitted to the procurement board for bid invitations by the end of March.

Decongestion drive intensifies

The deputy minister said there are currently 29 large capital projects underway nationwide, with “a minimum of one in each region and a maximum of three in regions such as ||Kharas, Erongo, Kavango West, Khomas, and Ohangwena”.

In total, 300 classrooms are being constructed, with the highest number in the Ohangwena region, followed by Otjozondjupa and Erongo. A further 168 pre-primary classrooms are being built across all 14 regions, with between 10 and 14 per region. “With respect to the decongestion projects, there is currently one in Erongo, six in Kavango East, two in Khomas, and one in both Zambezi and Otjozondjupa,” Ballotti said.

He added that “there are currently 29 large capital projects underway” and that this “totals 508 capital projects across all 14 of our regions for budget vote 40 for this financial year."