ONGWEDIVA - The Ongwediva Junior Secondary School whose construction faced several hitches since 2014 will finally be completed and is set to open its doors in 2019.

The school, which was initially supposed to be handed over in 2014, saw the handing over being hit by a series of delays, one of them being a contractor who abandoned the site.

Construction at the school initially came to a standstill after the contractor Uukumwe failed to complete the school in the prescribed time but instead opted to abandon the site.

Deputy director at the Directorate of Education in Oshana Region Gerhard Ndafenongo gave the assurance that the school will open its doors for learning come next January.

“We are already in the process of securing furniture for the school,” Ndafenongo said.
Ndafenongo said there are only a few minor delays which accrued because the contractor was not paid on time because of the cross-cutting budget cuts as government reins in wasteful expenditure.

Although the school was initially supposed to be constructed for an amount of N$38 million, the bill has ballooned by an additional N$5 million. New Era understands that what remains to be done is to connect the school to the sewerage system of Ongwediva Town Council.

Spokesperson of the town council Jackson Muma said the council is ready to connect the school to the waste disposal system.

“There are just a few things that we’re requesting the contractor to do. Once that is complied with, we will definitely connect the school,” Muma said.

Currently, more than 342 learners are taught in dilapidated classrooms where they are being exposed to severe weather.
The prefab school at the ELCIN centre in Ongwediva has no window panes, no ceilings, no lockable doors and its floors are pockmarked.

Electricity is only accessible in the main administration block as the rest of the school infrastructure remains in a sorry state.
During the rainy season learners are taught in leaky classrooms.

In addition, some classes are halted because learners are moved to one side of the classroom because some parts of the classrooms are leaking.
The new school will house about 600 learners and 20 teachers.