The issue of the unregistered Ndama East Primary School has resurfaced once again after Affirmative Repositioning President Dr. Job Amupanda paid a visit to the school.

Several stories have been written about the condition of the school, where over 500 learners are being taught under trees without access to water, adequate teaching materials, or toilet facilities.

Community members have declined to relocate their children to the newly constructed Ndama South School, located less than a kilometre away from the unregistered school.

The parents are staying put, saying the Ministry of Education initially promised that a school would be built where the children are currently being taught.

The children, who are taught by volunteer teachers, have been enduring harsh weather conditions for the past four years.

During Dr. Amupanda’s visit, some community members expressed frustration, saying his visit could be an effort to score cheap political points, especially since a number of politicians have visited the school before without any solutions.

Dr. Amupanda says it’s not surprising that the community has lost hope and feels disappointed in their leaders.

The AR president says he will take up the issue in parliament.

In the meantime, Dr. Amupanda says AR will do what they can to assist the school but did not want to reveal much, saying divulging too much information could be seen as paying lip service.

The Director of Education in the Kavango East Region, Christine Shilima, says plans are underway to build another school at Ndama that will cater to the learners from the unregistered school, but they are waiting for the Rundu Town Council to allocate land.

Shilima, however, maintains that the Ministry of Education will not engage with a group of people who went against ministerial guidelines in establishing a school and is advising the local community to send their children to Ndama South.