Rundu — Classes at Ndama Junior Primary School remain suspended since last Thursday due to unresolved water shortages and non-functional toilet facilities, posing health and sanitation challenges.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Asser Kandere, the Acting Director of Education in the Kavango East Region, verified the ongoing suspension initiated after local reports highlighted that students had been forced to relieve themselves in the open due to the lack of water, broken toilets, and overflowing septic tanks. “So far the septic tanks have been emptied. The water tank was also filled with water on Tuesday. We are now just waiting on the officials from the Rundu Vocational Training Centre, who promised to have the toilets fixed today,” Kandere said.
A stakeholder meeting recently addressed the urgent need to empty the septic tanks, repair the dilapidated toilets, and restore water service to the school. The hope is to resume classes by Thursday, contingent on the repairs being completed as scheduled.
The situation has drawn the attention of the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu), with Secretary General Loide Shaanika advocating for the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture to reconsider the use of septic tanks and seek more permanent solutions. “Nantu will not allow teachers to work in such inhumane conditions,” Shaanika stated, referencing her visit in 2020 when she first noted the deplorable conditions.
Kandere added that discussions are underway with the Rundu Town Council and NamWater to explore the possibility of connecting the school directly to the town’s main sewer system, aiming for a long-term resolution to the recurring problem.