Fire-ravaged Okondjatu hostel left in ruins for 13 years

Hundreds of learners at Okondjatu Combined School in the Okakarara constituency have reportedly lived with fire-damaged hostel and ablution facilities for 13 years, with more than N$5 million needed to restore them, the National Assembly heard on Wednesday.“Will our learners at Okondjatu wait for another decade for basic human dignity?” asked National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) parliamentarian Vetaruhe Kandorozu.He said the 2013 electrical fire destroyed the school’s hostel and bathroom facilities and that no repairs have taken place since then.“For over a decade, hundreds of learners have been forced to live in unhygienic, overcrowded and unsafe conditions, utilising exposed washing spaces because basic repairs have been completely neglected by the ministry of education,” Kandorozu said.He said the school’s ablution facilities are overflowing because of heavy use by learners staying at the hostel.The school, established in 1970, reportedly accommodates about 1 100 learners from Okondjatu and surrounding communities. Kandorozu said nearly 30% are from the San community, one of Namibia’s most marginalised groups.“Why has the ministry failed to renovate the fire damage ablution blocks at Okondjatu Combined School for over 13 years despite continuous public and regional outcries?” the lawmaker asked.“When exactly will the ministry allocate the estimated over N$5 million required to rehabilitate the run-down hostel infrastructure and provide safe hygiene living conditions for the learners?”Kandorozu called on the ministry to prioritise the repairs and introduce immediate measures to improve living conditions at the hostel.aurelia@nmh-hub.com.na

Fire-ravaged Okondjatu hostel left in ruins for 13 years

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-30

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Fire-ravaged Okondjatu hostel left in ruins for 13 years

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-30

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