Senior political leaders and staff of the education directorate undertook a visit to the Okondjatu Combined School in Okakarara Constituency. 

This follows the circulation of images and videos depicting the deplorable condition at the school. 

Otjozondjupa Regional Governor James Uerikua wants immediate action in having the old infrastructure renovated along with other demands.

Uerikua says renovations will be undertaken, and ablution facilities fixed, as soon as a budget is availed. 

He noted that the school blocks were damaged by lightning in 2014.

"Considering the position of Government and the country, we cannot dolce everything in one go, as you said we have also called an education introspection meeting for the region, and this is part of those. It is a preparatory activity towards that education introspection meeting, with the aim of improving, taking recommendations and seeing how we can better the education system in our region and in our country."

Uerikua adds that the regional leadership will undertake a series of visitations to different schools to assess the challenges they too face. 

"We will have a series of visitations throughout the region. The entire Regional Council, the Director of Education, the Chief Regional Officer, and the entire management are going out from constituency to constituency and already Otjiwarongo hostel, Okarundu, Paresis have already been completed, visitations were done, bill of quantities have been drawn by the Ministry of Works, for us to see now going forward how can these issues be rectified."

Otjozondjupa Regional Education Director Josephine Mutenda promised to avail school furniture to the hostel dining hall, adding that class tables are also to be delivered by month-end. 

"In terms of tables that are not in the dining hall, tables have been ordered for the whole region and by the end of January, tables will be in the region and Okondjatu will get 30 tables. Chairs were already delivered but as all the political regions leadership is alluding to, in terms of the plans for the burnt hostel, we are still following up on the Okakarara VTC and how far they are, because the bill of quantity was given to them but they did not come back to us, as the money was not enough for them to come and start the process but I promise you, we will get into this and renovations will start soon."

Okakarara Constituency Councilor, Ramana Mutjavikua had this to say. 

"Everything is underway to have that block repaired and in between the hostel staff, the principal, and school management are doing their best with the little they have at their disposal. There might be some oversight like maybe the visual idea of having chairs rolled out simultaneously with the delivery of the tables. That decision is collectively reversed so that we can make use of whatever we have at our disposal with immediate effect and minimize the inconveniences to the learners."

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Photo Credits
Governor of Otjozondjupa

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Author
Faith Sankwasa