Govt school offers N$50 a day to temp cleaners
Permanent govt cleaners earn roughly N$70 per day
The school has defended the vacancy as a temporary, three-hour-per-day, three-days-a-week position and stated they could only afford to pay N$50 per day.
Oosterheim Combined School in Aroab in the south recently posted a job vacancy for two cleaners who will be paid N$50 per day, which is N$20 less than the rate offered by other government schools to their cleaners.
Former Keetmanshoop rural constituency councillor Gerrit Witbooi has since accused the school of exploitation, claiming it is "taking advantage" of the country's staggering unemployment rate.
Last week, Witbooi voiced his concerns on his WhatsApp status and accused the school of taking advantage of unemployed youth by dangling a N$50 payment in front of them like a carrot.
"Look at this: N$50 per day. What does the labour law say?" Witbooi wrote.
When contacted for further comment, the former councillor said he was "sticking to" his comments on exploitation.
‘Harmless’ vacancy
The school’s principal, Ingred Coetzee, said the school, with 30 teachers and 842 learners ranging from grade 1 up to grade 11, needs temporary extra hands and can only afford N$50 per day for three hours a day, three days a week.
"The vacancy is harmless and would only require three hours a day, three days a week, temporarily. I don’t know what his [Witbooi's] problem is with the school. Furthermore, I am not at liberty to comment any further about anything regarding the school," Coetzee told the Namibian Sun.
On average, school cleaners earn roughly N$70 per day on a permanent contract.
According to the labour ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Shipuda, "any other arrangements are between the employer and the potential employee."
Shipuda added: "This vacancy is a take-it or leave-it one. There is nothing that pushes the school to offer something they don’t have. If people don’t want those amounts, they simply shouldn’t apply."
Experience outlined
The vacancy highlighted that "the only requirements are that this person must have experience in cleaning and be willing to perform any task given to him or her.
"The school is looking for a temporary cleaner to help with cleaning the school and its buildings. This person will receive a payment of N$50 per working day and will have to work until the new cleaner is appointed."
The closing date for applications is Friday, 25 August.
Blurred lines
According to ||Karas Region deputy director of education, Jesmine Magerman, the goodwill of the school management and principal was misinterpreted.
"The school management and the school board wanted to make interim arrangements for help for the cleaners at the school because there are posts vacant and should be filled via the recruitment process in place.
"They wanted help for two to three days a week as a very temporary arrangement and not to fill the existing vacancies," Magerman said.
She added that the school does not have the mandate to advertise and fill vacancies for cleaner posts permanently.
"The goodwill of the principal, school management, and the school board was totally misinterpreted. N$50 a day for two to three hours, two to three days a week, was the reasonable amount the school board could afford," she said.
Former Keetmanshoop rural constituency councillor Gerrit Witbooi has since accused the school of exploitation, claiming it is "taking advantage" of the country's staggering unemployment rate.
Last week, Witbooi voiced his concerns on his WhatsApp status and accused the school of taking advantage of unemployed youth by dangling a N$50 payment in front of them like a carrot.
"Look at this: N$50 per day. What does the labour law say?" Witbooi wrote.
When contacted for further comment, the former councillor said he was "sticking to" his comments on exploitation.
‘Harmless’ vacancy
The school’s principal, Ingred Coetzee, said the school, with 30 teachers and 842 learners ranging from grade 1 up to grade 11, needs temporary extra hands and can only afford N$50 per day for three hours a day, three days a week.
"The vacancy is harmless and would only require three hours a day, three days a week, temporarily. I don’t know what his [Witbooi's] problem is with the school. Furthermore, I am not at liberty to comment any further about anything regarding the school," Coetzee told the Namibian Sun.
On average, school cleaners earn roughly N$70 per day on a permanent contract.
According to the labour ministry’s spokesperson, Maria Shipuda, "any other arrangements are between the employer and the potential employee."
Shipuda added: "This vacancy is a take-it or leave-it one. There is nothing that pushes the school to offer something they don’t have. If people don’t want those amounts, they simply shouldn’t apply."
Experience outlined
The vacancy highlighted that "the only requirements are that this person must have experience in cleaning and be willing to perform any task given to him or her.
"The school is looking for a temporary cleaner to help with cleaning the school and its buildings. This person will receive a payment of N$50 per working day and will have to work until the new cleaner is appointed."
The closing date for applications is Friday, 25 August.
Blurred lines
According to ||Karas Region deputy director of education, Jesmine Magerman, the goodwill of the school management and principal was misinterpreted.
"The school management and the school board wanted to make interim arrangements for help for the cleaners at the school because there are posts vacant and should be filled via the recruitment process in place.
"They wanted help for two to three days a week as a very temporary arrangement and not to fill the existing vacancies," Magerman said.
She added that the school does not have the mandate to advertise and fill vacancies for cleaner posts permanently.
"The goodwill of the principal, school management, and the school board was totally misinterpreted. N$50 a day for two to three hours, two to three days a week, was the reasonable amount the school board could afford," she said.
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