Concerns were raised in Parliament about the recent cases of children consuming alleged spoilt food in the Kavango regions, with questions raised about whether the Ministry of Education is doing anything to address the situation at school hostels.

Independent Patriots for Change MP Abednego Hishoono said that in June of this year, two minors in the Ndiyona Constituency in Kavango East lost their lives due to food poisoning, and six more people were hospitalised shortly after allegedly eating spoilt food.

He further raised concerns about the recent incident where many learners were hospitalised after eating food that was allegedly contaminated at a school hostel, also in the Kavango East Region.

Hishoono questioned the Minister of Education on whether hostel food is safe and who should be held responsible. 

"The nation is reaching a point of pandemonium. How safe are our learners in hostels? And who are the catering contractors responsible for providing our children with this food?"

Minister of Education Sanet Steenkamp said the issue was reported, and various investigations have been carried out.

Steenkamp stated that an article was published without the ministry's response and that, in fact, only 33 learners fell sick after consuming leftover food.

She said that 11 of the children were in stable condition, and the rest had already been discharged from the hospital.

"What we are looking into right now is also the fact that they say that only those who ate food that stood over are getting sick, and I think it is the issue of allowing children to eat leftover food. I think that is another issue that we need to look into."

Steenkamp said they have received a comprehensive report from the school as well as their investigating officer; hence, they are requesting support from the Ministry of Health to assess what other shortcomings could be there in preserving hostel food.

Hishoono asked the minister to check if the supplier was at fault, as the food may have been expired.

The minister reassured Hishoono that they are working with several stakeholders, including the Rundu district hospital, to look into what could possibly have gone wrong.