Grade 12 learner in ICU after Kavango River dive

A Grade 12 learner at Max Makushe Senior Secondary School in the Kavango East Region is in intensive care in Windhoek with severe head and spinal cord injuries after he dived into the Kavango River and struck his head on a rock last Tuesday.His family has accused the school of negligence for allegedly failing to supervise learners during a circuit awards ceremony.The family alleged that learners were left without adequate supervision, allowing a group to leave the hostel to go swimming.School principal Gottfried Mukata disputes the family’s allegation of inadequate supervision, saying staff had been assigned to oversee learners who remained at the hostel during the awards ceremony.“We made arrangements for the learners to remain in the hostel with a few supervisory staff,” he said. “What happened is learners jumped the wall.”Mukata said he was informed that the injured learner dived into the water and struck his head on a rock, sustaining serious injuries.He said the incident was an “unforeseen” accident.Family responseThe learner was initially admitted to Rundu Intermediate Hospital before being transferred to Windhoek Central Hospital, where he remains in intensive care and is scheduled for surgery, his uncle and family representative, Kambogho Venatuis, told Namibian Sun over the weekend.He said the family feels devastated, particularly because the learner was preparing to complete his secondary education.“For a child that you prepared from Grade 0 to Grade 12, now that he is about to complete, such things are happening. It’s really affecting the whole family. Even today, they are writing exams, and he is not there,” Venatuis said.Venatuis accused the school of "gross negligence", arguing that it was responsible for the learner's safety while he was staying at the hostel.“When you send your child to school, the school will take responsibility for taking care of the child,” he said.The family also claims that the incident was not formally reported to the Kavango East regional education director.Venatuis said they want an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and are calling for the suspension of the school management pending its outcome.“We are considering legal action and also want the ministry to cover the medical costs of this child,” Venatuis said.The family argues that the circumstances raise questions about the school's duty of care and possible breaches of the Basic Education Act and the Namibian Constitution.Mukata rejected allegations of negligence, saying the learners' decision to jump over the hostel wall was beyond the control of the staff on duty.

Grade 12 learner in ICU after Kavango River dive

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-13

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Grade 12 learner in ICU after Kavango River dive

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-13

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