Namibian Sun

Aanapaliamende taya ka holola natango omaliko gawo

Omupopi moNational Assembly, Professa Peter Katjavivi okwa popi kutya aanapaliamende otaya dhimbulukithwa ishewe kutya ethimbo lyokuholola polweela omaliko gawo momumvo gwoshimaliwa nguka olya thikana.

Shoka otashi endele pamwe nompango tayi ithanwa Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament Act of 1996 oshowo elombwelo noshiholelwa sha ningwa kOmupresidende Hage Geingob, opamwe nomunyekadhi Monica Geingos, momvula yo 2015, konima sho a yi koshipundi shuuleli.

Aanapaliamende okwa tegelelwa ya ka holole polweela iipambuliko kehe ye na moongeshefa oshowo miiputudhilo yopashimaliwa mwa kwatelwa iiyemo kehe mbyoka haya mono okuza palwe shaaheshi oondjambi dhawo dhepangelo.

Oya pumbwa woo okuholola oondjo dhawo ndhoka dhi vulithe pooN$20 000, omagano ngoka ya pewa, oodiskaunda ndhoka ya pewa komalweendo gawo, oopenzela oshowo omaliko kehe ngoka ya likola.

Amushanga gwaKatjavivi, Lydia Kandetu okwa popi kutya esiku lyokuholola omaliko gaanapaliamende otali ka tseyithwa momwedhi nguka.

Nonando aanapaliamende otaya holola polwela omaliko gawo, kape na omulandu ngoka tagu koleke kutya omauyelele ngoka taga gandjwa oge li mondjila, ihe oshiikwatelela owala kuukwashili waanapalimende.

Monena Ominista yemona, Calle Schlettwein oye owala gumwe gwomaanapaliamende mboka ya gandja omauyelele kombinga yomaliko ngoka ye na nomvula yo 2016.

Pethimbo kwa pulwa aanapaliamende ya holole omaliko gawo momvula yo 2015 no 2016 kape na gumwe gwomaanapaliamende 104 a holola kutya oye na iiyenditho kakele kOmupeha minista gwoshikondo shiiputudhilo yepangelo Veikko Nekundi, kwiikwatelelwa kolopota ndjoka ya pitithwa koshifokundaneki shoWindhoek Observer muFebruali 2018.

Momvula yo 2015, Ominista yAaniilonga, Erkki Nghimtina okwa popi kutya oku na owala iipambulilo yi li 400 400 mOld Mutual, egumbo limwe mOvenduka lyuunene woosquare metres 1 050, ofaalama mOtavi yuunene woohecta 5 400, egumbo lyopamuthigululwakalo mOmahenge li li pehala lyuunene woohecta 9.8.

Omupeha prima, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah okwa holola kutya oku na omagumbo gaali moHenties Bay oshowo mEenhana nofaalama yuunene woohecta 6 200.

Kakele kegumbo ndyoka a holola momvula yo 2015 li li mOmuthiya, Minista Penda ya Ndakolo ina holola sha mo 2016.

Ominista yIilonga, John Mutorwa membo lyokuholola omaliko, omu na kutya ke na ekwatathano lya sha nehangano lyontumba, na okwa holola e na omagumbo 4, gaali oge li moRundu, limwe oli li mOvenduka omanga ekwawo li li momukunda Shankara.

Omuprima Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila okwa holola e na iipambuliko yoopresenda 50 mehangano lyoSeize the Moment Investment 56 cc, ofaalama oshowo omagumbo gatatu mOvenduka.

Omupeha omupopi, Loide Kasingo okwa holola kutya oku na oopresenda 16 dhuumwene mehangano lyoLuxury Investment 165, ehangano lyopaunamiti oshowo omagumbo gaali, mOvenduka noSwakopo.

OGONE TLHAGE

MH Greeff staan vir uitnemendheidSopkombuis, veldtog teen boelies beplan ‘n Laerskool in die hoofstad inspireer met sy spanwerk om skoolgaan vir leerlinge so aangenaam moontlik te maak.

Evany van Wyk

Met my onlangse besoek aan die Primêre Skool MH Greeff in Windhoek was ek aangenaam verras deur almal se doelgerigtheid daar.

? Vriendelike sekretaresse het my verwelkom en verwys na die skoolhoof van die afgelope ses jaar, mnr. George Kandetu.

Dié ervare onderwysman is reeds 25 jaar in die beroep en uiters gewild onder sy leerlinge.

Terwyl ons deur die skoolgange van die skool gestap het, is mnr. Kandetu van alle kante deur opgewonde kinders bestorm wat hom drukkies wou gee.

“Die feit dat ons as ? span werk in elke sin van die woord, maak ons skool uniek,” sê die hoof. Die skool se leuse is gehalte-onderrig, om die leerlinge se skoolloopbaan die moeite werd te maak.

“In my hoedanigheid as skoolhoof wil ek graag uitreik na die kinders wat die meeste deur struikelblokke in die gesig gestaar word, die buiteperde,” sê mnr. Kandetu. “By MH Greeff glo ons daarin om ons eie diamante te slyp.”

Twee van dié diamante is Ndemuyeleka Kambode, die hoofmeisie vir 2019, en Diego Rooi, die hoofseun. Die ywerige leiers is passievol oor hul posisies en het my vrae soos kenners beantwoord.

Ndemuyeke sê sy dink sy is gekies omdat die leerlinge haar potensiaal raakgesien het. “Hulle het voor my geweet dat ek gemaak is vir die rol,” sê sy.

Diego sê dit is omdat hy ? sekere mate van respek afdwing wat maak dat die kinders na hom luister. “Ek het goeie leierseienskappe,” meen hy.

Albei wil ? positiewe verskil maak in hul jaar as leiers. “Ek wil sien dat kinders nie meer geboelie word nie,” sê Ndemuyeleka. Sy glo dat ? anti-boelieveldtog ? goeie begin sal wees.

Diego is bekommerd oor die leerlinge wat onder moelike omstandighede skool bywoon.“Die kinders kom honger skool toe. Ek dink as van die leerlinge kan bydaes maak, kan ons die sopkombuis oopmaak sodat die kinders kan eet,” sê hy.

Volgens die Lewensvaardighede-onderwyseres, me. Nzehengwa Candy, is die grootse uitdaging by die skool tans ? gebrek aan ? fasiliteit vir spesifiek dié vak.

“Ek het nie ? plek waar ek privaat kan praat met leerlinge en ouers nie,” sê sy.

Die skool het ‘n beroep op ouers gedoen om as vrywilligers by die kombuis te kom uithelp sodat die kinders kan kos kry.

Die skool sal volgende termyn volstoom wegspring met hul sosiale klubs, naamlik Dreams en Window of Hope. Twee van die leerlinge, David Klaaste en Jé-dy Rhodes, is ook betrokke by die Childline-radiostasie, Uitani. Die twee is gekies as omroepers wat elke week praat oor probleme wat kinders oor die hele land raak.

Groot verwikkelinge is op die horison vir die gedrewe span van die Primêre Skool MH Greeff waar problem uitgewys word en aan oplossings gewerk word.

A message of hope from the USThe Northern Virginia varsity experience Michael Kauatjitotje, a Namibian national, is currently studying architecture in the United States. He shared his varsity experience with The Zone as 'n foreign student in another country.

Michael Kauatjitotje

In 2017 someone told me not to worry about the future because I showed promising signs of becoming successful.

I annoyingly laughed at their comment, citing it to be “a fake compliment to make me feel good about myself”.

Now two years later I’ve learned one thing from my experience of studying in the United States: Learn to love your hard work and your journey, because success isn’t guaranteed and sometimes the hope that started your journey might be the only thing that carries you on - as there might not be rewards along the way.

I was excited to study architecture in the US - a country that takes centre stage for all things relevant in the world.

Northern Virginia was a practical place to go because I have American family that live here. I couldn’t have picked a better place to study, as it has shown me a more practical vision of the US than say New York City or Los Angeles would have.

Virginia has shown me the restless hard work that goes into upholding the powerful engine that is America. In fairness, I must digress to appreciate all the amazing moments and adventures I’ve experienced and that I am still experiencing in the short one year and nine months that I’ve spent here so far.

I’ve visited an abandoned asylum from the 1920s that’s a federally restricted territory. I’ve so far visited six US states, with Georgia being my favorite, because Georgia gave me the most unfiltered version of past and present America. Since the US is a land of multiculturalism I had to make sure to observe as many religions as I could, and Buddhism was the most thrilling to observe. On the spectrum of academic achievements, I have managed to maintain a much more pristine academic excellence than I ever had in Namibia. Apparently first world schools are way more forgiving. I’m also using the practical skills I’ve learned in Namibia from 10th and 11th grade Model United Nations (MUN) at Academia Secondary School, as I am going to represent my college at an intercollegiate conference hosted by the United Nations in New York City. I’m a blood ambassador for the American Red Cross, and I devote countless hours to serving the community in every way possible.

Additionally, the best part of studying in the US is the wide array of people and personalities I’ve come across. I’ve met people from various backgrounds and learned more about the human experience than I ever imagined. They are from countries as far as India and further, and have taught me that at the end of the day, despite our linguistic differences, we are all human in our experience of hardships, dreams, and aspirations. But despite my amazing and deeply meaningful American experience, I now realise that with enough hard work and persistence I could have created meaningful experiences anywhere in the world, including Namibia. Now to get back on the topic about hard work and a strong sense of hope.

The idea of relentless hope has always seemed cliché to me, yet it is the only thing I cling to for assurance. Hope has become a strong and reoccurring philosophy in my life. I never once thought that hope would carry me this far. I’ve had many strong determinations substantiated by nothing else but hope, which makes for a very scary world, supported by the flimsy concept of hope.

This concept, though it may seem delusional at times, is the one strong thing I have picked up in the US that would be wonderful to employ in Namibia.

Earlier this year I was on a WhatsApp video call with two of my cousins that live in Namibia. As they were filling me in on the family drama, I casually asked how the political situation in Namibia was going. With a downcast tone they told me: “You know how things in Nam are, mos, the situation here will never change.”

My fellow Namibian youth don’t care, they’ve lost hope. In America it is morally unacceptable to think you cannot change the political imperfections in your country, because Americans believe that this country is all they have and they have no choice but to force progress. I tried to convince my cousins to protest or vote - anything to set change in motion. They laughed at me, citing that I was delusional and that Namibia isn’t America. I am here to say that hope is something that shouldn’t be lost. Maybe I should have kept my delusional, hopeful self in Namibia and not chased my own enjoyment abroad. Maybe then I could have contributed. But, I am here to remind my fellow Namibians to regain the same sense of hope our parents had during the liberation struggle. Namibia is ours, and we have nothing else but Namibia. We can all be the voice for progress in Namibia; all we need is hope.

Government addressing RCC building issue

Government is said to be addressing the issue of the Roads Contractor Company (RCC) potentially losing its building following Bank Windhoek's intent to attach its headquarters.

The RCC is said to owe the bank N$80 million.

Public enterprises minister Leon Jooste said government was looking at the development with keen interest.

“We are looking into the matter to see how we can mitigate the effects,” he said when contacted.

Bank Windhoek last week would neither confirm nor deny if they were planning to attach the RCC's building when contacted.

“Bank Windhoek does have a pending High Court matter against RCC and it is under judicial consideration therefore we are prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.

“Regulatory guidelines on client privacy further prohibit us from sharing client details,” it said.

“Judicial consideration and judicial management are two different concepts,” it added.

It will not be the first time the bank has tried to attach the RCC's building.

In June 2018, former acting CEO Seth Herunga had to write to transport minister John Mutorwa informing him that the bank had given it 30 days to pay approximately N$80.2 million.

Moreover, it is also not the first time that the RCC's assets have been attached. In 2018, Namibia Protection Services managed to attach its assets in Keetmanshoop over a N$4-million debt while the RCC's plant and machinery had already been auctioned off at Keetmanshoop and Ondangwa in forced disposals, whose proceeds were by far below the market value of those assets, Nampa reported last year.

Jooste had in the past suggested that the RCC be placed under judicial management to avoid the company's assets being attached. Transport minister John Mutorwa, under whose ambit the RCC falls, has however suggested that the entity be revived with a new turnaround strategy.

“The RCC has many creditors who will, while the company is under judicial management, have to wait to see their claims against the company settled.

The judicial manager will proactively seek ways to restructure the debt of the company and respond to the financial demands of the company,” Jooste said previously.

OGONE TLHAGE

Women not mere bystandersNamibia hosts historic women security summit For two days, starting tomorrow, the role of women in conflicts, peace-keeping and security will be probed.

An international meeting on women, peace and security will for the first time be hosted in Africa and is taking place in Windhoek this week.

The two-day meeting starts tomorrow and is aimed at raising awareness and advocating for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda by formulating national action plans.

Over 150 participants from member states, as well as regional and international organisations, are expected to attend.

Speaking at a press conference on the Women, Peace and Security Focal Point Network's Third Annual Capital Meeting, international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah gave some background about how it was established.

She said Namibia was elected by the UN General Assembly to serve and represent Africa on the UN Security Council from 1999 to 2000.

In October 2000, Namibia assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council. As part of Namibia's obligation to organise an open meeting of all the UN member states to debate on an issue relevant to the maintenance of international peace and security, Namibia chose to organise this meeting on women, peace and security.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said the choice of the theme was informed by various factors.

“Among them was our liberation struggle history and the active role played by Namibian women, and secondly the projection of women in conflict situations as mere victims,” she said.

She added the open meeting was preceded by a meeting of the UN Security Council with civil society, which contributed highly in demonstrating to the UN member states the participation in, and contribution of, women to conflict resolution and peace building.

Subsequently, the open meeting of the UN Security was successfully convened and the outcome was the adoption in October 2000, of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said some of the main elements of Resolution 1325 were the inclusion of women in UN peace-keeping operations, peace-building missions, as well as addressing sexual violence in conflict situations.

According to her several other resolutions were adopted by the UN Security Council on the same issue.

“In enhancing the implementation of this resolution and by way of maximising its impact on the ground, a global study was undertaken to review the effectiveness of Resolution 1325. That study revealed that while there was some progress on the implementation of the resolution, there was still a critical shortage of women participating in peace processes at national, regional and international levels.”

Furthermore, the global study highlighted the need for stronger uptake of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda by regional organisations and the need to accelerate the pace of developing and implementing national action plans by member states.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said in the case of Namibia, it has concluded its national action plan which has also been approved by cabinet.

It was within this context that Spain and Namibia, along with several other UN member states, came together and formed the Global Network of Focal Points.

To date, this network has had three meetings, the first in Spain, the second in Germany and the now the third one, in Windhoek.

There will also be four working groups to focus on the following sub-themes which are the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, Disarmament and Small Arms and Light Weapons, National Action Plans (Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation, Financing), Women, Peace and Security Implementation and the Role of sub-Regional and Regional Organisations and Peace Lab for Youth Leaders.

ELLANIE SMIT

Construction industry 'captured'

United Democratic Party (UPM) MP Jan van Wyk said the increase in government's capital budget will not benefit Namibian workers, accusing the Chinese “with the approval of government and the Swapo elite” of having “captured” the construction industry.

Van Wyk accused the Swapo-led government of “putting their friends first at the expense of the Namibian workers”, and criticised trade unions' silence on the matter.

He said the fact that parliament in March 2017 shot down his motion that the impact of imported Chinese labour on public construction projects be investigated shows this.

He said this is indicative of a government that “does not care about the Namibian workers”, and added: “Hopefully the Namibian workers will keep this in mind when voting later this year.”

Van Wyk in his contribution to the discussion on the national budget in parliament last week also took issue with the Chinese dominance in Namibia's uranium sector and what he called the “unfair treatment” of former Rössing Uranium workers regarding the pay-out of the surplus pension monies.

He said the government should not boast with having raised the living standards of the majority of Namibians by relying on false statistics generated by state entities adding that government should instead investigate why its statistics are being questioned by a number of groups in the country.

The Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) questioned the statistics contained in the 2018 Namibia Labour Force Survey released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) last week.

It particularly questioned the reported decline in unemployment from 34% in 2016 to 33.4% in 2018 under the current harsh economic conditions.

Van Wyk last week said the introduction of food banks has contributed to the unemployment rate because people might have opted to become “spectators and beneficiaries” instead of participating in the economy.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Namibians show their mettleNational Skills Competition attracts brilliance Technical and vocational training is recognised as the most practical avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work.

Ester Kamati

The Namibia Training Authority (NTA), in partnership with various sponsors, volunteers and individuals, launched the second National Skills Competition to not only find a representative for the country for the international WorldSkills competition, but to give talented Namibians a platform to showcase their expertise.

From cooking, hairdressing, carpentry, welding and many more technical, vocational jobs, as well as other skills training, Namibia has it all.

The country did not shy away from showing it as the competition, which commenced on 2 April.

Sponsors, competitors, experts as well as the general public flocked to the Ramatex complex in Windhoek to witness the opening ceremony of this prestigious event.

Paulus Immanuel, on behalf of the mayor of the City of Windhoek, delivered the opening remarks.

He said it was especially appreciated that the competitors travelled from their home towns to stay and participate in the competition hosted in the capital city.

He emphasised the competition is a platform to exchange ideas, as participants learn from each other.

Amon Ngavetene, the board chairperson of NTA, highlighted that the country’s technical and vocational training sector is faced with the challenge of being perceived as inferior.

“Our society continues to place a high value on professional jobs,” he said.

Ngavetene said stigma unfairly isolates technical and vocational careers, influencing children to think of them as low status, low paying and dirty jobs, which offer little prospect for career advancement and growth.

“General lack of information of TVET sector career decisions results in individuals ending up in career paths in which they lack passion and drive and in which their talent and potential to grow and innovate are compromised.”

He commended lawmakers for considering this societal actuality when they crafted the Vocational Education and Technical Training Act of 2006 to aid in countering these negative societal perceptions.

Ngavetene said the NTA has observed significant improvement in the perception of vocational training due to the influence of social media, as well as the launching and encouragement of events such as the skills competition.

He said stakeholders need to assist in sensitising learners, teachers and the nation at large about technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes and career options.

Educational specialist Sonia Godino said it is a pleasure for the European Union to collaborate with Namibia in the promotion of technical and vocational education.

She further described the event as a milestone for all the people involved in the vocational education sector.

Deputy higher education minister Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, on behalf of Minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi, said ministry has a vision that appreciates a well-educated and appropriately skilled population as a precondition for Namibia’s successful transition to an industrialised and knowledge-based economy.

She added that technical and vocational training is recognised as the most practical avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work.

NTA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jerry Beukes said he appreciated the efforts of their partners who have contributed to the progress observed thus far and described the event as a collective effort.

He further acknowledged all the sponsors for their financial contributions, which made the event a success.

“It is only when we do extraordinary things that we realise how special we are,” Beukes said to the competitors.

He concluded with the words: “Let the games begin.”

SPYL urges more support for Idai victims

The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has called on Namibia's business community to support Cyclone Idai victims.

At least 847 people have reportedly been killed by the storm and the flooding it caused, while hundreds of thousands of people are in need of food, water and shelter after the cyclone battered Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

SPYL secretary Ephraim Tuhadeleni Nekongo commended the Namibian government and President Hage Geingob for taking the lead in supporting the affected communities with a consignment of fish.

“We thank all the nations that have assisted our fellow Africans and equally call on SADC as a collective, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to come to the rescue of our brothers and sisters affected by the devastating cyclone, by providing humanitarian support such as food, shelter and medicines,” Nekongo said.

The SPYL further called on the business fraternity in Namibia, Africa and the rest of the world to support the affected communities.

Meanwhile, the youth wing denounced the “continuous and illegitimate” occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco.

Nekongo also denounced the illegal economic exploitation of Western Sahara, especially with respect to its fisheries and mining resources.

“We call for respect for fundamental human rights, freedoms and the democratic interest of the people of Western Sahara.”

It further called for self-determination and independence for Western Sahara with immediate effect.

The SPYL also urged all member states of the UN, the AU and SADC to implement the relevant resolutions for the holding of a UN referendum on Western Sahara.

Nekongo said Morocco must also respect the aspirations of the Sahrawian people.

“If Morocco does not want to listen and implement all the resolutions, we call on the United Nations to impose economic and sport sanctions against Morocco. In fact the situation in Western Sahara is the one that requires the UN Security Council to implement a no-fly zone over Morocco.”

Nekongo said the SPYL is also very concerned about some African countries have been silent on the issue of self-determination.

“Last but not least on the matter of Western Sahara, we would like to salute SADC for a job well done in organising the just-concluded Solidarity Conference on Western Sahara. We will remain fighting until the people of Western Sahara gain their rightful independence.”

A former Spanish colony, Western Sahara was annexed by Morocco in 1975. Since then it has been the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Morocco and its indigenous Saharawi people, led by the Polisario Front.

ELLANIE SMIT

Rukoro's Ozetu is an 'idle threat'Chief says its time for 'by us, for us' An agricultural expert says the proposal is lacking in substance.

The Ovaherero Traditional Authority's (OTA's) attempt to dethrone the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) as the go-to meat processing and marketing entity has been described as an idle threat by a local agricultural economist.

The OTA recently announced plans to establish an abattoir, a feedlot and an auction business through a company called Ozetu Holdings.

Ovaherero paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro's face appears on a presentation prepared by the holding company to entice communal cattle farmers.

“The time of breaking our backs [from] January to December for the sole purpose of enriching and prospering buyers is up. Times are shifting, we are entering the 'by us, for us' era,” the document states.

“The time is now for us to start fuelling the vehicle that will take us to the 'promised land'. That vehicle is Ozetu Holdings,” it adds.

The company intends to set up a central production site, a feedlot and an abattoir in the hope of achieving a 50% meat processing market share and at least 10% of all meat exports

In an interview with Confidente in 2017, Rukoro said Ovaherero farmers accounted for a significant portion of the country's livestock sector.

“As you know, the Ovaherero are cattle people and 52% of the cattle marketed by Namibians leave this country on the hoof to South Africa as weaners. These weaners are marketed by farmers in communal areas,” Rukoro said at the time.

“I don't know if whether you have seen messages on social media from angry Ovaherero saying that Meatco will end up slaughtering dogs for what it has done to the paramount chief,” he added.

Rukoro was a former CEO of Meatco. In 2017, Meatco paid Rukoro N$3 million to avoid being dragged to court. Rukoro had threatened to take Meatco to court for defamation after they wrongfully charged and suspended him earlier that year on allegations of conflict of interest by being the Ovaherero paramount chief while he was the CEO. Agricultural economist Wallie Roux has doubts about the feasibility of Ozetu's plan.

“On paper the concept has relevancy, albeit from the presentation there is not much detail for analysis. What the presentation says about the middlemen is applicable to the situation on the ground.

“However, even making relevant statements without concrete proposals how to better or rectify the situation is not a guarantee that it will eventually work in practice,” he commented.

An auction business could prove to be a feasible undertaking though, Roux said.

“I am not sure what is meant by a 'central production site' given the different target areas identified, but the auctioneering body could be a feasible concept given that the Ovaherero farmers are known for producing weaners,” he said.

“The plans for a feedlot and abattoir at this point in time would rather be a vision and mission than a concrete proposal,” he said.

Time will tell whether Ozetu could become a cash cow for the OTA, Roux added.

“The list of identified economic sectors seems too vast for all to be realised within the foreseeable future. In conclusion, one would have to wait and see,” he said.

OGONE TLHAGE

Nedbank on board for vital initiativeThe Namibia Career Expo 2019 is around the corner. Nedbank Namibia has handed over N$250 000 that will go towards the hosting of the Namibia Career Expo, which will take place in May.

Michelline Nawatises

Pull quote: “This expo is vital in informing learners about their options and opportunities available.” - Gernot de Klerk, Nedbank Namibia Head of Marketing and Communication

Learners from across the country will gather at one venue and explore all sorts of careers available in the Land of the Brave.

The annual Career Expo will take place at the Windhoek Country Club from 15 to 17 May. It has been previously hosted in the Ongwediva, Walvis Bay and will be heading towards Rundu as well.

Career Expo executive director Abed Erastus said this year Coca-Cola has come on board as an official sponsor for the speakers hall which is a section created where a variety of industry leaders will share their expertise about prospective careers and how the world of work might look in the future.

Gernot de Klerk, head of marketing and communication at Nedbank Namibia, said buses will transport learners from various areas in and around Windhoek to the expo. The learners will have the opportunity to view the different stands and will interact with company and university representatives.

This comes amid ongoing concerns about jobs in Namibia and globally.

De Klerk said McKinsey, a global management consultancy, has highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence, the automation of work and jobs and whether enough jobs will be left after that.

This further raises questions around independent work, the gig economy and whether people will be able to outsource their services or not.

Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) secretary-general Simon Taapopi added that the expo serves as a one-stop-shop for career guidance, which assists learners with information about careers and bursary offers.

Education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp said in a speech read on her behalf that the initiative shows there can be partnerships and working together to build on efforts to ensure a better and brighter future for the Namibian child.

Nedbank would like to encourage parents to support their children, as well as the expo, further invited all learners from Windhoek and elsewhere to attend this noble initiative.

FirstRand contributes to computer literacy at UnamThe donation will not only benefit the students, but will also help lecturers at Unam to enhance their teaching. The FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust has handed over 20 new computers valued at N$194 400 to the University of Namibia (Unam) for use by business math and basic micro and macro students for e-tutorials and tests.

Mariselle Stofberg

FirstRand also committed to providing the university with a further 20 computers that will be donated at a later stage. This will bring their total contribution to N$400 000.

Professor Roman Grynberg, an economics professor at Unam, is excited about the prospects and new opportunities made possible by the donation.

“It will improve the quality of our education delivery and will help to bring teaching into the 21st century,” Grynberg said, adding that with enough computers they will be able to extend the course from business economics to business mathematics.

The head of public sector banking at FNB, Leslie Puriza, emphasised that one of the crucial concerns of FirstRand Namibia is to create hope and meaningful opportunities for young people.

Puriza said they hope these computers will bring about significant changes to teaching and learning.

“It is our hope that this donation will make a difference for students and citizens of this country, not only improving their access to information, communication and technology, but also enhancing their skills in computing, understanding and appreciation of information and communication technologies.”

Lukas Kamonika, an economics tutor at Unam, said the donation will aid students with completing their online tutorials.

“Interactive learning materials such as video helps and supports the learners and it improves the computer skills and literacy of learners.”

Information and communication technologies have opened up a wide variety of possibilities and explores the richness of resource-based learning and creativity.

“It enables learners to work with an assortment of resources, to learn through their experience of problem solving, as they piece together information strands to construct meaningful knowledge about a subject,” Puriza said.

A first-year honours student in business administration, Veronika Simon, believes the computers will help students to work faster and more effectively.

“This is an amazing donation. These computers are extremely fast and effective and will help with our efficiency and productivity.”

Red Bull Amaphiko Connect 2019 The first-ever Amaphiko Connect took place on 30 and 31 March at the Comfort Storage warehouse in Windhoek’s northern industrial area.

Over 30 invited social entrepreneurs from around Namibia attended.

In partnership with GIZ, Standard Bank and Omulunga Radio, Redbull was able to grant 30 of Namibia’s social entrepreneurs the chance to attend this two day boot-camp, a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact and connect with one another and with many of national lecturers and speakers, through informal couch sessions.

Sifiso Gcabashe, Red Bull social innovation manager SA, shared a lecture on becoming an entrepreneur by using creativity and embracing our social condition in order to truly build a sustainable business through social entrepreneurship.

“I was in total awe when I realised how amazing of a country Namibia is, not just the people, but the hunger in people for social change,” Sifiso explained, who was on his first trip to the Land of the Brave.

After a helpful ‘Pitch Perfect’ presentation by the Dololo team, our Namibian entrepreneurs were immensely inspired.

The entrepreneurs went through various practical exercises and were then divided into different groups to test their skills on pitching and building confidence on pitching.

Odile Gertze, from Gondwana Collection, highlighted the importance of recycling, and Namibia’s environment.

Another lecture highlight came from Fabian Shaanika, the head of business banking at Standard Bank, who spoke about the financial world, including taxes, budgets and investments. Questions filled in the room and it was clear that the entrepreneurs needed a lot of information on this topic.

Three workshops were held where the room was split up into groups to attend the legal workshop held by Kapena Tjombonde from Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA), the social business canvass, held by Chantal Claassen from Dololo, and pathways to funding, held by Anna Vambe from GIZ.

The entrepreneurs were filled with thanks and gratitude, as they all felt appreciated for their work and for being offered such an amazing opportunity.

Redbull strongly believes that all of these entrepreneurs will definitely get their big break after the inspirational event and that they will inspire our nation to take Namibia’s social issues to heart with their amazing projects, and hopefully contribute to Namibia’s economy soon.

Urban and rural ministry tackles weaknesses

Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga this week took aim at a number of staff performance weaknesses hampering service delivery at his ministry.

During the minister's annual staff address, he tackled a number of issues including lack of punctuality, productivity, efficiency and innovation. He urged staff members to take more interest in their work, to adhere to performance agreements and to be more proactive.

He further stressed that this is the year of accountability, and that all staff are jointly responsible for the work output and quality of the ministry.

Mushelenga said in particular two divisions, which he did not name, were underperforming, and sometimes took “days, weeks” to finish important tasks.

“When you underperform you are cheating government. Your salary is paid according to your job description,” he said.

He further emphasised the need for quality rather than quantity.

Another issue Mushelenga highlighted was the lack of feedback and communication within the ministry, and between the ministry and service providers.

“If you know someone needs to be paid, communicate on time. Don't wait for them to come and beg as if they are borrowing money.”

He said even if the money could not be paid promptly, the service providers should be informed in a timely and efficient manner.

“These people have employees too that they are supposed to pay. Meanwhile, you keep people waiting.”

Mushelenga also took to task other government agencies, including the office of the government attorneys, saying they sometimes failed to communicate efficiently and in a timely manner.

Mushelenga said the ministry is often embroiled in litigation, but at times is only advised of the notices at a very late stage or after responses have already been filed by the government attorney on the case. He said sometimes cases are lost because documentation or information is not shared promptly with the ministry.

Staff feedback

During the feedback slot, staff highlighted issues they say cause delays and cripple their ability to perform diligently, including limited technical staff and lack of collaboration and communication between various departments.

A major issue pointed out by a staff member was a mismatch between too many support staff and too few technical staff, which leads to lengthy delays, backlogs, poor performance and inability to reach targets.

This lack of capacity had been addressed in a restructuring proposal a few years ago, a staff member said.

He warned that unless the chronic lack of capacity within these crucial departments was addressed, “delays will remain”.

Both Mushelenga and executive director Nghidinwa Daniel acknowledged the capacity issues at the ministry but urged staff to recognise and work around current limitations, including a general hold on new appointments throughout the public service.

Other staff also underlined that the “work mentality” of many in the ministry, and the government overall, poses a major roadblock to improved service delivery and productivity. Another member of staff stressed that they are acutely aware that “the issue of land is critical” but that in some cases senior managers do not take the “plight of Namibians”, especially those in informal settlements, equally seriously.

Daniel highlighted all the issues put on the table by both the minister and staff, and provided feedback and suggestions.

He agreed that while a lack of skills was problematic, “we are called upon to make the best with what we have”.

JANA-MARI SMITH

Girl raped by school cleaner A 14-year-old girl was raped this weekend in the Oshikoto Region, allegedly by a cleaner at her school.

According to the police, the incident happened on Friday at Oshikandanga village in the Oshigambo area.

The suspect, who works at Pukulukeni Combined School, went to the girl's home and called for her. When she emerged from her house, he then allegedly grabbed her and pulled her into the nearest bushes, where he pushed her onto the ground and raped her. He also promised to buy her a cellphone.

The man then fled the scene and is currently being sought by the police. In another incident, a 30-year-old man was arrested over the weekend at Oshivelo for allegedly raping his 11-year-old niece at Hantoni village, also in Oshikoto. According to the police the incident occurred during March when he was left alone with the girl at a house.

In a separate incident over the weekend, a 22-year-old women was raped in Mariental.

According to the police the woman knows the suspect, but not his name. It is alleged the woman and the suspect, together with their friends, were on their way to Club Vegas after leaving a shebeen. The victim and the suspect were walking in front of their friends and the suspect instructed the woman to follow him into a riverbed. He then pulled out a knife. He instructed the victim to undress or else he would stab her. The police say the woman undressed out of fear and the suspect raped her. When the others caught up with the woman, the suspect had already fled. He has not been arrested. In another incident, a six-month-old baby boy died in Rehoboth after his mother left him alone with a seven-year-old child on Saturday morning.

According to the police, the bottle of instant porridge that the mother left for the baby, Aksel Aziel Fleermuis, finished so the older boy refilled it. The baby was later found dead, lying face-up on a bed.

There was a whitish, milky vomit coming from the infant's mouth. Meanwhile, at Okahandja a 41-year-old man was shot, allegedly by a 55-year-old member of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) in the Pick n Pay parking area on Friday evening. According to the police the suspect followed the man from inside the shop, and when they reached the parking area, he allegedly grabbed him and pulled out a pistol. The suspect then shot once into the air and before allegedly turning the gun on the victim. He was transported to the Katutura state hospital.

In another incident in Rehoboth, the semi-naked body of a 28-year-old man was discovered.

According to the police, Iswawn Vinzenzo was found wearing only a black T-shirt. He had a stab wound on the left side of his chest. His dog was lying next to him.

A 42-year-old woman died on Sunday at a village in the Okalongo constituency of Omusati after she drank herbs given to her by a traditional healer.

According to the police, Ekandjo Teopolina had been complaining of a headache since Saturday and was attended to by a traditional healer from Angola. She was given traditional herbs to drink, and after drinking the concoction, she started vomiting and died on the spot.

ELLANIE SMIT

NWR blames MD for JV deal cancellationPrevious board 'never approved' deal The NWR board chair has blamed managing director Zelna Hengari for the cancellation of a joint-venture agreement with Sun Karros Safaris that is now the subject of a lawsuit.

Leonard Iipumbu, the chair of the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) board, has laid the blame for the cancellation of a joint-venture agreement with Sun Karros Safaris at the door of NWR managing director Zelna Hengari.

According to a statement issued by Iipumbu last week, the cancellation letter sent on 26 March this year “was sent pursuant to the misrepresentations made to the current NWR board by the NWR managing director Zelna Hengari, that the joint-venture agreement between NWR and Sun Karros to develop glamorous tented camps at Sesriem was approved and authorised during the term and by the previous board of directors of NWR, whose term terminated on 14 January 2016.”

Iipumbu says the agreement, which was signed by the managing director of Sun Karros, Bertus Struwig, on 30 May last year and then by Hengari on 11 June 2018, was cancelled by the current board because it had been approved by Hengari “without the knowledge and authorisation of the board of directors of NWR and the minister of environment and tourism”.

He added that the board would not comment on the urgent application by Sun Karros currently before the High Court.

Papers were served on NWR and the environment minister at the end of March and the application will be heard on 24 April.

In his founding affidavit, Jacobus Marthinus Struwig, managing director of Sun Karros, said they had invested more than N$43.4 million in the construction of a luxury camping resort at Sesriem.

It was one of five such resorts to be established in terms of the joint venture (JV) that had been signed on 11 June last year. Sun Karros had started investing in the Sesriem project as far back as August 2017. Construction is under way and reservations by international tour operators have already been confirmed and paid for. The facility is scheduled to open on 1 July this year.

“Should construction not continue, the Sesriem camps will not be ready by July 2019 and the current bookings will not be honoured,” Struwig wrote in his affidavit. As at 15 March, the total value of reservations stood at just under N$4.8 million, he stated.

Struwig added that the reputational damage to Sun Karros, should the facility not open, would have a direct impact on all its other business ventures, as it was almost entirely dependent on foreign tour operators “Sun Karros, which has pre-existing and current relationships with all of the tour operators who concluded bookings, also stands to suffer severe reputational harm if these bookings have to be cancelled.” He added that the tour operators would not make bookings at any Sun Karros facility again.

“The long-term financial loss for Sun Karros would be enormous. The total forecast profit on the Sesriem camps over the 30 years of the JV were calculated to be in excess of N$480 million, of which half would have gone to NWR and half to Sun Karros.

“This is not factoring in the profits that could be lost in respect of the remainder of the camps which are still to be constructed in terms of the JV which cumulatively will run into hundreds of millions of dollars,” Struwig wrote.

He estimated that about 150 jobs would be lost.

YANNA SMITH

Be financially woke!

Ester Kamati

I don’t know if it’s just me or if my entire generation is as bad at money management as I am.

I used to be in denial and blame my reckless spending on ‘you only live once’ and ‘I deserve to treat myself’. I have, however, realised that this irresponsibility is ultimately associated with my character and quite frankly I am not that reckless.

I mean, it’s okay to spend a few dollars to pamper yourself once in a while, but this is no longer pampering when it happens every day. If it is too frequent, it becomes a lifestyle - one you cannot even afford. Of course we tell ourselves that it is only a few dollars and won’t make a major difference, but those few dollars multiply by the number of times your pocket was left lighter because of a #Self-love hashtag on your Instagram story, and it becomes a big deal.

I thought nothing of it at first but I have come to realise that the things we spend a lot of money on are things we can absolutely do without. When did I realise this? Let us go back to my first year at university when I swiped for a bill of N$800 at a pizzeria, which is named after a natural disaster, after a night out with the girls. Sure it was a good time, but that much money could have gone into something else. I do not at all regret the experience but this just goes to show that I have a rocky relationship with the Hendrick Witboois.

Here is my point: We are sometimes too quick to rush to spend and mainly it is just to keep up appearances. Sure, we are humans and can sometimes be irrational, but we should learn to tame ourselves. Often a major reason we go beyond our means is because we are hanging out with the wrong crowd.

To lessen your confusion, if you are always the one who takes care of the bill, you are with the wrong crowd. If you are always the one who expects others to take care of the bill, you are with the wrong crowd. And if you are always the one who offers to pay for somebody’s meal or add money so that they can get something they’ve always wanted, and they don’t do the same for you, you are with the wrong crowd.

Secondly, we live to impress and that shouldn’t be the case. The only people you should impress are yourself, your mentor and sometimes your boss, because when those people are happy, there is a bonus to that happiness. We have no reason to want to impress our friends, because if the person you are does not impress them without you having to put in effort you can’t even expect back, then it is not worth it.

It is a sad realisation that youth are not big on saving though they don’t have many expenses at this stage and still have guardians to bail them out when they are not financially sound. Reflecting back on the balance you had and watching run down to zero with no knowledge or evidence of where your money went to is a dreadful experience.

So having shared my realisation, I wouldn’t be a responsible Namibian citizen if I didn’t share this advice with those who have not yet realised the importance of saving. There is no such thing as being too young to save. Trust me, your future self will thank you for not purchasing that Balenciaga in your current financial situation.

Don’t get me wrong, you are allowed to spend a few dollars on yourself, and yes, I realise that the saving we do sometimes is for us to be able to afford something at the end of the saving period, and that is wonderful. Feeling that you deserve something and then getting it is way more rewarding than getting it just because you can.

My second-year economics lecturer shared some really ground-breaking information in one of our classes. He highlighted that we fail at saving because when we don’t spend money for an intended purpose, and simply use it for something else instead of putting it away, and at the end of the day that makes no difference. The point of saving is that you don’t use the money, so that you will have it when you truly need it, and not simply spend it on something else.

As students and young people in general, we need to realise the value of a dollar and put ourselves in a better financial standing. We need to be woke about social, political as well as financial issues, and overall practice what we know, and not just preach it. Now is a fairly good time to explore options such as savings and investment accounts, so that you don’t find yourselves in a hopeless situation

ester@myzone.com

$The souring Ondonga fracas$ The souring Ondonga fracas

There is no end in sight to the bitter infighting engulfing the Ondonga Traditional Authority, even though there have been renewed calls for the warring factions to bury the hatchet in honour of the late Omukwaniilwa Immanuel Kauluma Elifas.

As argued on this same platform a fortnight ago, it is puzzling to see government having adopted a wait-and-see approach, despite the massive impact the standoff has had on the community and the nation at large. The government fully recognises the Ondonga Traditional Authority and as a custodian of traditional authority affairs in the country, the ministry of urban and rural development should have investigated the matter to get to the bottom of the ruckus. Now, just days before the state funeral of the late Omukwaniilwa, the belligerent groupings are at it again, with an urgent court application being lodged this week. In the latest challenge, two heirs apparent to the throne, Oscar Sheehama and Konisa Eino Kalenga, want to interdict Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo from acting as if he is the appointed successor to the late king. The duo want to restrain Nangolo, who was named as Elifas’ successor in 2002, from purporting in any way to be the heir apparent. There is no doubt that the infighting among Ondonga leaders is being driven by personal interests and it is a sad development and betrayal of the legacy of the late Omukwaniilwa, who stood for peace. The succession battle has now clearly spiralled out of control and this leadership wrangle is set to intensify after the burial of the late king this weekend. It is clear that there is no love lost between the warring factions and the standoff cannot be considered as a friendly rivalry. Government must therefore step in and protect the interests of the Ondonga community, and that of the nation at large, by mediating between the conflicting groups and finding a lasting solution to this impasse. The situation cannot be allowed to sour any further.

Roll up, roll upAmazing fun at Wika! The annual Wika carnival kicked off this past weekend with big tunes and big entertainment and is slated to end on 14 April.

Justicia Shipena

Carnivals come in many shapes and sizes and are celebrated all over the world.

Namibia is, however, one of the last places where you would expect carnival festivities to be celebrated.

Founded in 1952, Wika is a buzzing organisation consisting of about 30 committee members who organise the annual event.

Wika was celebrated for the first time in 1953. A small group of immigrants from Germany organised an event that turned out to be one of the highlights on the local cultural calendar.

And it is here to stay, because Namibia's multicultural society forms the perfect setting for this type of celebration that embraces all the country's language groups.

Under the theme ‘Wika Konfetti, Alles Paletti’ asserting the fact that the locals have practised the event for many decades, the 10-day event is expected to run smoothly.

Wika has been making waves for 66 years as a social event on Windhoek’s calendar.

In May 1953, when the first Wika was held, a total of 800 people attended the event. However, this year the carnival has thousands of people attending it.

Wika started off with a royal ball known as the Prinzenball in German on 5 April.

The royal ball is the highlight of the carnival as it marks the crowning ceremony of Wika's new royal couple, whose identity is kept strictly confidential until that evening.

The outgoing couple, the chair and the presidents of the carnival society elect the prince and the princess. The royal ball also marks the exit of the royal couple that ruled the city's carnival fools for the past year.

During the course of the evening, a representative of the city council hands over a huge key to the new royal couple. This is to symbolise that for the duration of carnival proceedings, the fate of the city and thereby the entire community lies in the hands of the new carnival rulers and their followers - all those who visit the various events.

The following day on 6 April the carnival introduces a street parade starting from the Windhoek Showgrounds, along Independence Avenue, which concludes at TransNamib.

The float procession not only introduces the prince and the princess to the city folk, it also makes people aware that the annual carnival season has officially kicked off and is ready to move full-steam ahead.

To educate the people in the tradition of carnival, Wika organises events not only for adults, but also for the youth and children.

On the same day in the evening the carnival hosted a youth carnival called Juka at Sports Klub Windhoek (SKW) and a kids’ carnival (KikaWi) on 7 April.

The youth carnival, the children's carnival, the ladies and men's evening, two international evenings (hosted in English), buttenabend (hosted in German) and a fancy-dress ball dominate the remainder of the carnival's activities.

Over the years the way the carnival has been presented has changed several times, but the credo has remained the same - to keep it as close to the carnivals held in Germany as possible.

This includes having a royal couple, royal guards, a jester and a Bütt, the rostrum that looks like half a beer vat in which the speaker stands when mocking everyone and everything.

During this event the reigning royal couple perform one of their last official duties by addressing a city council representative and hundreds of guests, who enjoy the bright sunshine, live music, beer and good food.

Oshana's 'Samson' speaksCattle herder describes how he outwrestled a lion Just like the biblical Samson, Elia Usiku faced off against a lion and survived.

Elia Usiku, 49-year-old resident of Uukwiyu-Uushona in the Oshana Region, has described how he wrestled with a lioness for what seemed like an eternity, before escaping with his life.

Usiku said 23 March 2019 is a day he will never forget, as he ended up having to fight for his life, using only a stick and an adrenaline rush, but somehow found the strength to outmuscle the beast, who ended up having a staring contest with its victim after it tired.

The Uulungawakolondo cattle herder said it was around 09:00 when he was walking from the cattle post to a water point.

He was suddenly confronted by the lioness.

Usiku, who is currently recovering at the Oshakati intermediate hospital, said his right arm was broken in three places, as he valiantly fought off the animal. He also sustained other injuries during their duel.

“Just after I passed the Uulungawakolondo military base, following my cattle, I saw the cattle started dispersing. I was not aware of what was on the way until I started hearing a roar. I was not worried because the cattle were relaxed and not looking afraid; I thought it was not anything dangerous,” Usiku told Namibian Sun, as he narrated his ordeal.

“When all the cattle got out of the way I could clearly see it was a lion and it was looking straight at me. It then started running towards me and I told myself not to run but to face it. I had a stick in my hand and I put all my confidence on it.”

“When it came near me, it jumped, aiming my head, but I bent and it grounded itself on my back. It turned immediately and bit me on my left butt cheek. After the bite I realise that I was in danger and that needed to fight the animal. I turned and I started hitting it with the stick I had in my hand,” Usiku recounted.

Usiku said he started wrestling with the lioness, and whenever it pressed him to the ground he tried to push it off quickly, fearing the animal would overpower and kill him

He said the lioness, who was taking a beating from his stick, then decided to bite his right arm.

“Its biting tactics were complicated and I could not stop it, because it was doing it as if it was aiming my stomach, but only its back legs were scratching my stomach, while the head and the front legs were on my arm.

It just made three bites on the right arm and it started bleeding heavily, and later I could not feel it anymore.

“Despite the fact that I am right-handed, I decided to pick up the stick with my left hand to defend myself.

“Just when it attacked my limbs, I hit it hard on the head and it fell down, while the stick also broke into two pieces.”

A wrestling match then ensued, which Usiku says lasted for a few minutes, as he pushed down the lion with super-human strength, using only his left arm.

“This lasted for about five minutes and all its escape attempts failed.”

Usiku said when he realised the lion was tired, due to its heavy breeding, he decided to let go and the animal didn't retaliate.

He said they just stared at each other for about a minute, before the lioness left.

Usiku then walked towards the NDF camp, where he met Andreas Shipanga, who was driving to his cattle post.

Shipanga took him to the Onandjokwe Lutheran hospital. He was later transferred to Oshakati on the same day.

The environment ministry has introduced a human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, with the moral obligation to support families that have lost loved ones or victims of wildlife attacks.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they will investigate and determine whether Usiku will be paid or not.

“In the case of a person attacked by a wild animal he or she is eligible to be paid as part of our human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme. He should report the incident to ministry officials in the region. They will conduct an investigation and decide on the basis around the attack (sic),” Muyunda said.

“In incidents like Usiku's, who was just herding cattle in the grazing area, we will pay depending on the injury or disability sustained.”

ILENI NANDJATO

Teacher juggles three grades in one class

Kavango West education director Teopolina Hamutumua says quality education is being compromised at Gcigco Junior Primary School in Ncucuni constituency, where one teacher is teaching three grades simultaneously.

Namibian Sun recently visited the school and spoke to the teacher, Elizabeth Hamutenya, who shared the challenges she is faced with, including being the only educator.

She said although she is trying to adopt the multi-grade approach, she is faced with a number of challenges that can be addressed if another teacher is recruited.

The school has 26 learners in total, of which 16 are in grade 1, while five learners are in grade 2 and another five in grade 3.

Apart from the challenges of teaching a multi-grade classroom, she added the absence of a pre-primary school teacher has also made things worse, as she is now forced to teach the learners what they were expected to learn in the pre-primary phase.

Hamutenya also explained that if anything happens, such as a learner falling sick, she is forced to rush the pupil to the nearest clinic about 12 kilometres away.

She then has no option but to dismiss the rest of the learners.

“It is not easy because firstly these are small children and they are prone to getting sick easily and because we are deep in the village, where there is a network problem, you cannot call a parent to come get his or her child. Therefore, you have to rush that child to the nearest clinic, which is at Ncaute about 12 kilometres away,” she explained.

Hamutenya said if she had an additional staff member to assist her, they would be able to split the learners as there is an unused classroom.

“The school currently implements multi-grade teaching where three grades are combined in one classroom. This situation is not ideal because it has negative impact on the provision of quality education, especially if the teacher is not professionally trained or does not know how to implement the multi-grade approach,” Hamutumua said.

She, however, added the ministry has no plan to recruit another teacher for the school, because the number of learners do not warrant another teacher, as the ministry's staffing norm is one teacher for 35 learners.

“As per the provision of Staffing Norm Formal Education Circular 13/2019 the school qualifies for one teacher only. The ratio is one teacher for every 35 learners,” Hamutumua said.

“As you can see, the total enrolment at Gcigco Junior Primary School is less than the minimum requirement to establish a school, but because the ministry is committed to the provision of access to education for children, the school is allocated with a teaching post, despite the fact that the total enrolment is less than the required number of 35 learners.”

Hamutumua said the directorate is working on establishing primary school hostels across the region to accommodate learners from “uneconomical schools” to ensure the provision of inclusive quality education.

She added two of these hostels are now fully operational at the Mukekete and Naucova primary schools and the directorate is busy with the construction of a third primary hostel at Elago Primary School.

KENYA KAMBOWE