The Kavango East Region needs more funds to improve the current teaching and learning environment.

The region has construction and renovations of classrooms underway, but some schools are still to benefit from the government project funds.

The region is challenged with the school placement of learners at the beginning of the school year, from crowded classrooms to a lack of teaching and learning materials.

Currently, there are 46 emergency classrooms constructed at a value of about N$18 million, and renovations are taking place at six schools in the region at a total cost of N$4 million.

During the celebration of the belated 34th Indepedance celebration at Bagani in the Mukwe constituency, a grade nine learner at Bagani Combine School, Lora Moyo, shared some of the challenges faced by the teachers and learners at the school. 

"I cannot help but notice the lack of essential facilities and amenities that are crucial for a conducive learning environment. We'll make a library where we can explore the wonders of literature and a laboratory where we can conduct experiments and gain strong hands-on experience. Our teachers operate from classrooms as a staff room and an office due to the absence of an administration block. Dear Minister of Finance Ipumbu Shiimi, I humbly appeal to you on behalf of all the learners at Bagani Combined School. Our school is facing challenges that hinder our ability to effectively learn, and we are losing learners every year due to the lack of hostel facilities." 

The region has 189 schools and caters to 78,148 learners.

Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Iipumbu Shiimi acknowledged the challenges faced by the education sector but assured that the government was working to address the situation. 

"We have challenges, but this year alone, we are going to spend N$18 billion on education. That's the vote that is getting the highest allocation. The one that comes close to it is health, which is going to receive N$10.8 billion. You can see the gap between the two. So Namibia is one of those countries that spends money on education and spends money on health. We have decided this year that we are going to add an additional N$1 billion to the budget of the Ministry of Education to support the building of classrooms and the building of new schools because we care for the Namibian children and we don't want them to leave the child to land in an environment that isn't conducive." 

The minister further stated that the government will continue to scale up the basket of education to make sure that in the next four years, no child is going to be taught in dilapidated classrooms or under a tree. 

The minister urged the youth to take education seriously for the future of the country and equalise the government's efforts.