Some schools in the Epembe Constituency of the Ohangwena Region are currently affected by water shortages.

Limbandungila Combined School has been without water for over two months.

The school usually relies on water tankers, but their capacity does not meet the demand.

Distant man-made wells have become the only source of water for the school.

The geographic location of the school has also made it difficult for trucks to manoeuvre the sandy terrain.

One of the teachers, Claudia Hameva, says this has affected the learning process.

"We are in need of clean drinking water at the school. We have to travel long distances to the nearest wells to get this water in order to survive. The lack of water has negatively affected teaching and learning at the school, as learners and teachers sometimes come to school without showering or having eaten something."

The water is muddy, and learners say it takes them long before they can draw water from the wells, as underground water is also reducing.

"Even if you drink a lot of this water, it does not quench your thirst, so we are asking our government to bring us clean water as a matter of urgency."

The acting principal of Titus Ndjamba Combined School, Mekondjo Ikela, says the school has finally received water, which will last for about two weeks.

"We are grateful that we received this water from the Ohangwena directorate. Our learners are now relieved, and since we started with grade 10 exams, the learning process is now going well. We hope this situation can be rectified so that we can have water throughout the year. This water can only last for two weeks."

Ikela says the school has written a letter to the directorate of education requesting two 10,000-litre water containers.

When the water was ferried to the school and its tanks filled up, word spread quickly in the village, and community members lined up at the cucashops to get the last drop from the tanker.

The reaction points at just how much clean drinking water has become a luxury.