At this time, we rename a school We were very surprised to learn that on Friday, the Moses Garoëb Primary School in Windhoek was renamed Dr Abraham Iyambo Primary School. As far as we could establish, the school was repainted and renovated especially for this occasion.
The event was driven by the education directorate of the Khomas Regional Council.
We wonder what the cost was of renaming this school. New logos, new letterheads and the like. While the children in the north have to slowly make their way back to their hostels, now that the food supply has been restored. This, after their already cash-strapped parents had to fork out for two-way transport and the children's exams were disrupted.
Again, we wonder at the necessity of these costs while the school feeding programme has been halted in so many schools, while many of our pregnant mothers in rural areas are languishing in filthy conditions in tents, waiting to give birth. The other 25% of pregnant mothers will birth without any medical assistance at all, as recent statistics show.
We are concerned that at this time, with the current budget constraints, where there are not even enough inspectors to adequately investigate cases of child labour and trafficking on especially farms, let alone actually inspect the state of the livestock and their vaccination records, the education permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp, would actually approve the renaming of this school.
While the clinics in the south of this country dispense only vitamin C for influenza and colds, the tablets wrapped in A4 photostat paper because there are no medication bags. And also, no Panado, the mainstay of Namibia's rural medical care.
While some children sit on floors or under trees, and if they are lucky enough, in tents that are hot as hell, to learn.
While some communities have no access to fresh water and children fall and drown in pits and wells dug by the communities by hand, to access water.
While children are herding livestock or being raped by family members or friends of family. While abused women really do not have anywhere to go. While those who stay are killed with pangas or simply set alight.
But we choose to spend the money on renaming a primary school.
The event was driven by the education directorate of the Khomas Regional Council.
We wonder what the cost was of renaming this school. New logos, new letterheads and the like. While the children in the north have to slowly make their way back to their hostels, now that the food supply has been restored. This, after their already cash-strapped parents had to fork out for two-way transport and the children's exams were disrupted.
Again, we wonder at the necessity of these costs while the school feeding programme has been halted in so many schools, while many of our pregnant mothers in rural areas are languishing in filthy conditions in tents, waiting to give birth. The other 25% of pregnant mothers will birth without any medical assistance at all, as recent statistics show.
We are concerned that at this time, with the current budget constraints, where there are not even enough inspectors to adequately investigate cases of child labour and trafficking on especially farms, let alone actually inspect the state of the livestock and their vaccination records, the education permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp, would actually approve the renaming of this school.
While the clinics in the south of this country dispense only vitamin C for influenza and colds, the tablets wrapped in A4 photostat paper because there are no medication bags. And also, no Panado, the mainstay of Namibia's rural medical care.
While some children sit on floors or under trees, and if they are lucky enough, in tents that are hot as hell, to learn.
While some communities have no access to fresh water and children fall and drown in pits and wells dug by the communities by hand, to access water.
While children are herding livestock or being raped by family members or friends of family. While abused women really do not have anywhere to go. While those who stay are killed with pangas or simply set alight.
But we choose to spend the money on renaming a primary school.