Ongwediva kids move out of the rain
The Ongwediva Junior Secondary School has finally moved from the dilapidated church buildings it used to occupy.
For decades the school rented dilapidated church buildings where learners and teachers had to put up with classrooms with broken windows, no electricity and leaky roofs. This situation continued despite a new school having been built at a cost of N$39 million.
The project stalled because the contractor, Uukumwe Construction, abandoned the site and lost the contract in 2016.
The school was expected to be handed over to the government about four years ago.
Principal Immanuel Nepela confirmed to Namibian Sun that the Oshana regional education directorate last week handed him the keys to the new buildings and they started moving immediately.
“We received the keys to the new school on Friday and we have already started with the relocation. We will no longer operate from the church buildings,” Nepela said.
Nepela assured parents that the teachers will continue to provide quality education at the new school and called on all stakeholders to play their part to make it a success.
“We can only be happy and we would like to thank the government for doing its part. It's now up to us as stakeholders to make the best use of the new school,” Nepela said. When contacted for comment, regional education director Hileni Amukana said the building was not yet finished. The school hall still had to be built and minor work remained to be done in the other buildings. Amukana said the remaining work would not hinder the teaching environment, therefore the school was allowed to relocate.
“It's only a partial occupation of the classrooms because the hall still needs to be done, but the hall has nothing to do with the teaching and learning at this point in time.
“Therefore it is better for the learners to get into better classrooms rather than where they were exposed to the rain,” Amukana said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
For decades the school rented dilapidated church buildings where learners and teachers had to put up with classrooms with broken windows, no electricity and leaky roofs. This situation continued despite a new school having been built at a cost of N$39 million.
The project stalled because the contractor, Uukumwe Construction, abandoned the site and lost the contract in 2016.
The school was expected to be handed over to the government about four years ago.
Principal Immanuel Nepela confirmed to Namibian Sun that the Oshana regional education directorate last week handed him the keys to the new buildings and they started moving immediately.
“We received the keys to the new school on Friday and we have already started with the relocation. We will no longer operate from the church buildings,” Nepela said.
Nepela assured parents that the teachers will continue to provide quality education at the new school and called on all stakeholders to play their part to make it a success.
“We can only be happy and we would like to thank the government for doing its part. It's now up to us as stakeholders to make the best use of the new school,” Nepela said. When contacted for comment, regional education director Hileni Amukana said the building was not yet finished. The school hall still had to be built and minor work remained to be done in the other buildings. Amukana said the remaining work would not hinder the teaching environment, therefore the school was allowed to relocate.
“It's only a partial occupation of the classrooms because the hall still needs to be done, but the hall has nothing to do with the teaching and learning at this point in time.
“Therefore it is better for the learners to get into better classrooms rather than where they were exposed to the rain,” Amukana said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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