The principal of Divundu Secondary School in Kavango East Region, Christoph Kupembona, has called on the government to fix a kitchen stove that has been out of order since last year.

Staff is now preparing food for the more than 400 learners housed there using firewood.

According to Kupembona, learners frequently go to bed and to school on an empty stomach.

"Learners sometimes don't get their supper or breakfast, so our first and second periods are always affected because we have to wait for these learners to get their breakfast, and there are days when these learners can come to school without any breakfast, and let me tell you, most of our learners, as you know the situation we're in, have diabetes and several medications, and they need something to put into their tummies."

Hostel Superintendent Elizabeth Severinus says the school does not have the money to have the stove fixed.

"The first one burned, they came and fixed it, the second one burned again, they did not come, and now they are telling us that we have to buy the elements; they even went to get the quotation for N$8700 for all the pots to be replaced, and now they brought it to the school that the school is supposed to buy."

The school is now forced to buy firewood for up to N$800 a week from local suppliers.

The hostel also lacks a dining hall.

"We want you to build us a big dining hall and bring us tables and chairs," appealed Severinus.

Mukwe Education Circuit Inspector Theophillus Kadhimo says the directorate is in the process of procuring pots for several school hostels, including Divundu.

"And he assured me that approval has been granted so that new pots will be procured for the following hotels: Divundu Secondary, Martin Ndumba, Omega, and he also spoke about Ndiyona and Dr. Romanus Kampungu. I think yesterday they were finalizing the paperwork so that they can directly procure; they will not advertise."