John Muyamba

RUNDU – Several overcrowded schools at Rundu have resorted to erecting makeshift structures in an effort to accommodate more learners. 
Kavango East education director Fanuel Kapapero said the issue of overcrowded schools in the region is well documented. 
“Yes my office is full of complaints of lack of classrooms. All schools have brought their demands, including Ndama Combined School, Rundu JP, Sarusungu, Sauyemwa and Kehemu just to name but few,” he said. 
Most schools in Rundu have more than the required average learner–teacher ratio of 35 per class, as some classes are accomodating about 80 learners. “The directorate has plans to build a new school in Rundu to ease the current pressure. A plan has been approved to build at a plot given to the ministry by the town council in Ndama. We will also construct another in Sauyemwa  as soon as the ministry avails funds.”
Kapapero said the directorate has been putting through these demands to the education ministry 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. “The deputy minister is coming to visit the region and we will brief her on these demands. Lack of classrooms is the biggest issue that we have at the moment and when they set up these makeshift structures, the demand for teachers and classroom furniture kicks in.” 
Kapapero stressed there is a need for new schools in Rundu in order to salvage the situation and building just extra classrooms at the existing schools does not address the issue of overcrowding. “We need new schools, it won’t help to just pack a lot of classrooms at one school. It is not conducive and at the point where we are now, we at least need three primary schools and a secondary school to ease the situation at Rundu,” Kapapero said.