Volunteer teachers kicked out of own school

Two graduate teachers, who along with the community set up a makeshift school in a Kavango West village, were left fuming after government took over the school and replaced them with new teachers.

After getting the school recognised by government and spending their own resources to educate close to 100 learners over the past six months, Thomas Simbundu and Anafrida Nkandanga from Karanawa village were not considered when teaching posts at the school were advertised.

Karanawa is about four kilometres west of Nkurenkuru.

Quoting President Hage Geingob’s call of “meeting government halfway”, the unemployed pair said they feel betrayed.

Simbundu is a graduate from the International University of Management (IUM), while Nkandanga graduated from the University of Namibia (Unam). Both graduated in 2020.

Simbundu is employed as a security guard, but arranged with his employer to only work at night so that he can spend his days volunteering as a teacher.

Nkandanga, on the other hand, was teaching for the past six months while pregnant.

Long distances

According to Simbundu, the idea to establish the school was birthed in 2021 when the community and three volunteer teachers joined forces.

The reason for the establishment of the school was to stop learners from travelling long distances to the nearest school.

“Imagine a six-year-old walking, on a daily basis, more than eight kilometres to get educated. How do you expect that child to perform when he or she arrives at school after walking a long distance? That is the major reason why we felt we needed to establish the school.”

He added that, in the past, a learner was hit by a car on the Nkurenkuru-Katwitwi road.

The school, situated on a five-hectare piece of land provided by the traditional authority, has no structures, with teaching and learning taking place under trees.

While learners sit on logs, teachers sit on beer crates.

Meanwhile, a road sign has been turned into a 'black board'.

“This is my classroom. As you can see, there is no furniture here. This road sign I picked up and I used it to teach the learners,” Simbundu said.

Automatic recruitment

Government recognised the school in March.

In May, teaching posts were advertised. The interviews were conducted on 26 and 27 June.

Simbundu and Nkandanga applied, along with Moses Mukonda, who was also a volunteer at the school.

It is alleged that Mukonda is among the successful candidates.

Simbundu said they are aggravated by the fact that they had to interview for positions at the school they started.

The duo explained that they thought their recruitment would be automatic, making reference to qualified teachers who started Rundu’s Siguruguru Primary School in a similar fashion and were absorbed by government.

“How different are we from the teachers who are now employed at Siguruguru Primary School? Why did it happen in Kavango East and in Kavango West we are treated differently?” Simbundu wanted to know.

He added that it will pain him to see learners he started teaching earlier this year not being under his care, and lamented the fact that others are now employed because of his sweat.

Not fair

“During weekends, we had to clean the land and use our time to turn a bushy area into a conducive land for learners. Today, we are left out to the benefit of people who did not sweat for the establishment of the school,” a teary Simbundu said.

“Even today, one of my learners saw me and called me teacher. I pains me that I won’t be able to teach them any more.

“They knew I was a security guard. This just means the leaders in Kavango West are okay with me being a guard and not a teacher, a profession I studied for. This is not fair,” he said.

“I went to over 20 interviews, yet still I cannot get a job.”

The duo called on government to address their plight and employ them.

No such thing

When contacted for comment, Kavango West education director Pontinus Musore said the volunteers had previously enquired about the possibility of employment at the school they started, but were informed that there’s no such thing as automatic recruitment.

“It was explained to the team that there was no automatic employment. Their volunteering exercise was entirely their own initiative and positions, once secured, will be advertised for all interested qualifying individuals to apply,” he explained.

Musore further narrated what happened on the day of interviews, saying it was chaotic after community members stormed into the venue, demanding the inclusion of the volunteers.

“A meeting was held with the circuit inspector to clarify issues to them, but they were not receptive to the explanations given. They threatened to withdraw the area that was earmarked for the school. The community members were informed to be at liberty to do so, if they so wished, as there were many areas where schools needed to be built,” the education director said.

He added that a day later, some representatives from the community delivered a letter apologising for their actions.

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