Over 340 learners kept home over dilapidated toilets

Schooling has been suspended at Oshukwa Primary School in the Omusati Region’s Okahao circuit after parents decided to ‘evacuate’ 346 children from the school because of dysfunctional and dilapidated ablution facilities.

Parents charge that the facilities have been dysfunctional ‘for years’ and this year gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the matter – or they will take their children home.

In a report by principal Selma Uushona, requests for new facilities were made through the planning division of the education directorate 10 years ago - in January 2013 - and again in March 2015 and June 2020.

Uushona told Namibian Sun that on 16 December 2020, a site handover was done with Gate Trading CC, while the construction of a small ablution facility – over a period of three months - was set to commence on the same date.

“The new toilets were supposed to be completed during March 2021; however, the company failed to comply with the tender agreement, which resulted in its official termination in September 2022,” she said.

The school made several telephonic enquiries to planning division officials on the way forward regarding the completion of the new facility, but failed to get any satisfactory answers, she said.

The only official response the school received dates back to 26 February 2013, when the then acting director Loide Shatiwa said the provision of infrastructure in the region was a challenge as funds were insufficient.

“This office is trying to make provision for temporary toilets at your school, and the construction of toilet facilities can maybe be considered in the near future if funds will be made available,” the document read.

Parents worried

“The parents repeatedly stressed that the condition of the toilets is unsafe and is a threat to their children’s lives. They also expressed their shock and dismay to the condition of toilets for school staff members,” Uushona lamented.

When Namibian Sun visited the school, parent Loide Iiyambo said they are worried about their children who have been at home for almost two weeks.

“We want the classes for our children to commence, but they cannot because of the situation of the toilets, which is a health hazard,” she said.

The parents had planned a demonstration, but this did not materialise.

“The Okahao police station commander informed me that a demonstration can only be held if the person who is supposed to receive the petition agrees; however the inspector for education Eliakim Kamati told me that the parents should choose what they want to do,” Uushona said.

In the petition, the parents are demanding that the Omusati education directorate complete the incomplete facilities.

Blame game

In an interview with Namibian Sun, Uushona said Kamati blamed her for not informing him of the school closure.

The principal added that when Kamati visited the school, he told them that the toilets were not a threat to life, and that he does not see any reason why teaching and learning have been suspended.

“He said that I’ve closed the school illegally,” Uushona said.

“I did not have any intention to close the school, but it was the parents who left with their children because of their own observations. They concluded that the toilets are a threat to their children’s lives.

"The inspector was here and saw the toilets for himself, and he was adamant that the toilets are not a safety risk to the learners. He further asked me whether someone fell in," she said.

No space

The school had been using temporary toilets since 2015, which did not have doors.

According to Uushona, the school no longer has space to put temporary toilets.

“We have been digging pits for the past five years and now we have run out of space on the schoolgrounds and we cannot dig any more,” she said.

Sem Shino, the chief public relations officer at the ministry of education, said his office is not aware of the situation.