Ndiyona school battles overcrowding with 65 leaners per classroom 

At Ndiyona Combined School in Kavango East Region, classrooms are overcrowded, with about 65 learners per class. Secondary learners at the same school attend classes in the afternoons due to space shortages, prompting plans to open a new project school next year to ease the congestion.

There was revealed during a visit this week by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations, and Community Development to various capital projects under the ministry of education, arts, and culture in the Region.

The committee visited five schools: Sauyemwa Junior Primary, Ndiyona Project (Augustinus Mashika), Pikinini Primary, Edward Muhoka Senior Secondary, and Mutjiku Junior Primary, before proceeding to the Zambezi Region.

Education inspector Pontianus Kamunima reported severe overcrowding at Ndiyona Combined School, with up to 65 learners per classroom.

During a visit to Sauyemwa Junior Primary School, Principal Regina Haingura revealed that strong winds recently blew off the roof of the school’s administration block as well as two classrooms.

The school has 34 classrooms, which is not enough to accommodate 1 777 learners.

Meanwhile, Pikinini Primary School faces serious infrastructure challenges, including a lack of toilets and teachers’ accommodation.

Learners are taught under half-completed iron-sheet shelters, while only four teachers serve the entire school with one teacher handling Grades 1 to 3 and even teaching on weekends to keep up with the workload.