Nearly 200 schools still without water

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK



While 80% of the country's 1 920 schools are ready to resume face-to-face classes next month, 193 of them still do not have potable water.

This is according to basic education ministry executive director, Sanet Steenkamp, who said schools in the two Kavango, Omusati and Ohangwena regions are the hardest hit. However, some schools in the Kavango regions are in the process of acquiring water, she said. “There is a high-level government committee in place.





The provision of water will be done by procuring tanks and for some schools, boreholes must be drilled,” she said.







Deep cleaning underway



Deep-cleaning processes have also started at many schools and have been extended to hostels as well, she added.



“Our planning did not start now; we have been planning for a few months now. Since 6 May, many of the schools have procured sanitisers, tippy taps, liquid soaps and water dispensers.”



Additional funding has also been disbursed to schools and regions in need, she said.



Steenkamp added that learners with chronic illnesses will be dealt with as stipulated in the child health policy.



Ideally, ill children must remain at home, she said.







Response plans in place



According to Khomas regional director Gerard Vries, schools have already put in place preparedness and response plans crafted in cooperation with stakeholders and school boards.



He added that a teaching plan, which sets out how teaching and learning will be conducted during this period, has also been availed to schools.



“The source document for all these plans has been World Health Organisation prescriptions. These plans have been crafted by both public and private schools and submitted to various circuit inspectors for their input and refinement,” he said.



Vries added that about 90% of Khomas Region schools are ready to resume learning and teaching.







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