RUNDU – Due to the ever-increasing number of learners at Rundu, schools at the town have over the years faced overcrowding, as a result, education officials have resorted to erect makeshift schools in order to accommodate more learners.

Packed classrooms are not conducive for learning and more teachers and toilet facilities are needed to improve hygiene, sources say Rundu at least needs three primary schools and a secondary school to ease the ever growing congestion.

However, the ministry of education in an effort to remedy the situation started with the construction of a fully fledged primary school at Sauyemwa location, the school will have 16 classrooms with additional two classrooms for pre-school and an administration block.

Construction started in February and the contractors are already on site.

At Rundu, most schools have more than the required average learner–teacher ratio of 35 per class, as some classes have up to 80 learners. At the beginning of this year, the Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero said the issue of overcrowded schools in Rundu  is well documented. 

He told this reporter the directorate has plans to build more schools to minimise the congestion.

During an interview this year, Kapapero noted a plan has also been approved to build a school at Ndama location as soon as the ministry avails funds.
“We have been putting through these demands to the head office to consider the construction of new schools at the town. We do that every chance we get for the ministry to put it in the budget,” he said in January.

Kapapero at the time stressed there is a need for new schools in Rundu in order to salvage the situation and building extra classrooms at existing schools does not address the issue of overcrowding. 

-jmuyamba@nepc.com.na