Overcrowding, drop-outs scar Rundu schools

WINDHOEK FAITH SANKWASA

Overcrowding at government schools in Rundu, as well as the high drop-out rate among primary school learners, has become a huge challenge in the town.
According to the Director of Education in Kavango Region, Alfons Dikuwa, a N$9 million tender has been advertised by the ministry to construct new blocks of classrooms in the circuits of Mpungu, Kandjimi, Sambiyu, Nzize and Ncamagoro. The project is due to commence at the end of October.
There are about 40 to 50 learners per classroom, whereas the ideal situation is 30 learners per class at primary school level and 35 at senior secondary level.
At the beginning of this year, overcrowding was also identified at primary schools in the Ndama and Kaisosi informal settlements, as well as junior and senior secondary schools in Rundu itself.
Learners dropping out of school, which is mainly limited to rural areas, is blamed on the movement and re-location of parents and guardians, as well as hunger and harsh weather conditions and the deplorable condition of school buildings.
Although no statistics were available, information indicates that girls are especially under pressure to abandon their education, because they have to help out with family chores, fall pregnant or are married off at a young age.
“The ministry can only afford to build limited classroom blocks each financial year. The overcrowding is limited to urban schools and those within the town's outskirts.
“We will be assessing the problems and continue assisting where we can, because overcrowding not only disadvantages the learner, but the teachers too,” said Dikuwa.
He added that the free education intake had caused overcrowding in the town's schools, while there had been no increase in the teaching staff to deal with this.
However, 100 new teachers will be taken into service during this term, with more posts set to be advertised for next year.
Dikuwa explained that the ministry is also lagging behind in allocating funds for the National School Feeding Programme, which benefits orphans and vulnerable children from grades 1 to 7.
“Hunger is the highest factor blamed for the drop-out of vulnerable children. The delay in allocating funds for the programme has resulted in learners not attending to their lessons.
“But we are confident that many will return back to school, as we will soon be engaging parents on the importance of education,” Dikuwa said.