Erongo asks private sector for N$230m for schools

The Erongo Regional Council wants the private sector to help fund N$230 million in school infrastructure after the region received no development budget for new schools or classrooms in the 2026/27 financial year.The council presented its list of needs to companies, state-owned enterprises and local authorities at the first Erongo education infrastructure investment conference in Swakopmund last week. A pledges session on the programme was not held, and no pledges were made.The region has 99 schools, 56 state and 43 private, with 60 988 learners and 2 137 teachers, according to statistics. The council projects 64 037 learners in 2027 and 67 239 in 2028.Acting regional director of education Helena Asino said 684 Grade 1 learners in Swakopmund are unplaced and more than 2 161 learners in Walvis Bay attend school in shifts under the platoon system. Chief education officer Natalia Guriras put the number of platoon learners across the Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Omaruru circuits at about 4 279.Referring to the August enrolment period, Asino said: "There was an outcry there for space. There were so many parents camping at different schools."No budgetTo absorb 3 049 additional learners in 2027 and 3 202 in 2028, the region needs about four new schools a year, 87 classrooms in 2027 and 91 in 2028, and 87 and 91 additional teachers respectively, the directorate said.Asino said the region received N$16.7 million in development funding for education infrastructure from 2022/23 to 2026/27. Allocations ranged from N$893 000 in 2023/24 to N$10.8 million in 2025/26."During the financial year 2026/27, we did not receive any development budget to build new schools or new classrooms," she said.She said the ministry's head office is concentrating on projects already under way, including a new primary school and a new secondary school at DRC in Swakopmund, and a new secondary school in Henties Bay.The pipeline of about N$230 million consists of N$123.6 million in critical projects and N$106.7 million in needs submitted by the principals of the 56 state schools. The critical list includes new secondary schools in Omaruru and Swakopmund and new primary schools in Omaruru and Walvis Bay, valued together at N$107.6 million. The Omaruru circuit has the largest share of the school-submitted needs at N$64.2 million.Guriras said the amounts are estimates that must be confirmed through technical assessments and current market prices. Companies can adopt a project, co-invest with government and development partners, equip a facility, fund a renovation or support several schools in one circuit."Some needs cannot wait, dear investors, dear stakeholders. We need to act now," she said.Chief regional officer Mupenzeni Ntelamo said extra classrooms suit rural schools such as Okongue, but Swakopmund needs new schools."These are not army bases. Yes, these are schools. A school principal cannot manage 2 000 learners. It's just impractical," he said.Governor pleads for helpErongo governor Nathalia /Goagoses said none of the four commercial banks attended. She said local authorities keep money "almost running into billions" in the banks."And if they are not from Namibia, at least the employees that come and work for them are Namibians. Their children are in these schools," she said.She said she would go to each bank to "apologise, probably it was a late notice, and ask each of the banks to make pledges towards this noble cause".

Erongo asks private sector for N$230m for schools

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-05

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Erongo asks private sector for N$230m for schools

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-05

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