Pupils share school with snakes, mice

A rural Kavango East school continues to face immense challenges, including learners and teachers having to frequently avoid snake bites, mice eating books, absenteeism and making use of bushes when nature calls. Last June, Namibian Sun visited Shinunga Junior Primary School, situated about 120 kilometres east of Rundu in the Mashare Constituency, where teaching takes place in traditional huts that were constructed by parents years ago. The school has adopted a multi-grade teaching method, with one teacher teaching grades one and two and another teaching grades three and four. At the time, principal Karupu Sebastian Kashindereki pointed out the challenges the school is faced with and asked for assistance. The challenges Kashindereki highlighted at the time were the lack of proper classrooms, mice eating books kept at the school and exposure to snake attacks, as the traditional hut classrooms were easily accessible to them. The school also did not have a toilet, as teachers and learners were forced to turn to the nearby bushes when nature called. When Namibian Sun revisited the school recently it was found that nothing has changed, as the school continues to face the same challenges. Kashindereki said about a week ago they found a python in a classroom, which he and learners managed to kill. “None of the challenges have been resolved and we are still having a problem with our classrooms,” Kashindereki said. He said snakes are lured into the classrooms because of the mice that have infested the thatched roof.Kashindereki also weighed in on the affects the rain has had, saying quality education is compromised at Shinunga Junior Primary School.He said learners either come to school soaked by the rain, or show up late, while classes have to be suspended when it rains heavily.“During the rainy season, we cannot conduct classes properly,” Kashindereki said. When contacted for comment last year, Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero said the directorate was aware of the challenges. However, it would not make economic sense to construct a permanent structure.He said it would be a waste of resources to construct a school for a few learners, as the number of pupils are likely to decrease over the years.The number of learners currently enrolled at the school are 51, down from 68 last year.“We are aware that there are temporary structures at the school. We look at the enrolment of the learners and many times we realise that the school is not growing and we cannot put up a permanent structure at that school. It might be that the learners enrolled only amount to five and then the infrastructure will have gone to waste,” Kapapero said.Meanwhile, apart from calling for the construction of a comfortable structure, Kashindereki also appealed to Good Samaritans to assist the learners with school uniforms and stationery.Kenya Kambowe

Pupils share school with snakes, mice

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-12

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Pupils share school with snakes, mice

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-12

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