President Hage Geingob has stated that his remark about the construction of makeshift structures at schools was not a directive, but rather an example he had previously shared with a specific school.

During the opening of the first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Dr. Geingob expressed concern over learners being taught under trees.

Addressing a media conference, Dr. Geingob clarified this and other issues.

These remarks have drawn both praise and criticism, especially among stakeholders in education.

Some have even taken it out of context as a directive from the president to address the current challenges facing mostly government schools.

President Geingob says as a former teacher, he'd never subjected learners to being taught in an inconducive environment—something he fought against during the Bantu Education system.

The President acknowledges that the government's processes can be bureaucratic in terms of having dilapidated infrastructure fixed or replaced.

These and other challenges are what the envisaged consultative meeting will discuss with stakeholders in the education sector, including Cabinet Ministers, Governors, Executive Directors, and Regional Directors of education and youth organizations.

The emerging trend of unemployed teachers setting up makeshift structures or teaching children under trees, the President says, is worrisome.

Days after the release of the disappointing grades 11 and 12 examination results of last year, the President directed the construction of additional classrooms by August 26 as a matter of urgency.