The Student Union of Namibia (SUN) is demanding urgent action against a school principal, who is alleged to have assaulted a learner by slapping him to the ground at the Ncumcura Combined School in the Kavango East Region. 

The union is calling on the Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, to intervene.

The board chairperson of SUN, Bernhard Kavau, did not only express disappointment towards the minister for not having responded to a complaint communicated against the principal but is now also calling for the immediate dismissal of the head of school. 

"So this case happened in March. The principal, during break time, slapped a learner, and the learner collapsed. When the learner collapsed, the learner was taken to the hospital. We have records of the learner being taken to the hospital here. We have records of the report from the doctor, which is written here. So, what did we do as a responsible union? We wrote to Madam Honourable Steenkamp. We wrote this letter on the eighth of April, calling for her intervention to call this principal to order and for this principal to be disciplined."

The union described the principal's action as a violation of the law and the Ministry's standing policies against corporal punishment. 

He further questioned President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah's free education policy and its alignment with NSFAF.

"We have a problem with the so-called free education because parents will have to meet the government halfway. Halfway in terms of paying for accommodation and other living expenses. Now we have questions where we are saying NSFAF is there, NSFAF is taking care of that, and what is the president alluding to? Does it mean NSFAF should be abolished or what? That's where we have question marks."

SUN legal representative, Intelligent Katire, elaborated more on the illegality of corporal punishment.

"Corporal punishment on its own is against the creation of the Republic of Namibia. So it's a crime that the principal committed, and it should be taken seriously. And the fact that he, as a principal, is the one who engaged in disciplining this student shows a lack of management within his management, because there's a channel within the education sector that must be followed when it comes to disciplining the learners."

Responding to the union's claims, Education Minister Sanet Steenkamp indicated that the principal cannot just be removed automatically, as a preliminary investigation needs to be carried out.

She added that there are processes to be followed, and a right of reply must be accorded.