- Eino Vatileni
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations and Community Development has concluded its oversight visit to assess capital projects under the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in the Ohangwena, Kavango East, and Kavango West regions.
The visit took place from 18–23 August 2025 and focused on long-standing projects under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), some of which have remained in the pipeline for decades.
During the oversight, the Committee visited a mix of ongoing, completed, and abandoned projects, as well as some aging schools in need of renovation.
In the Ohangwena region, the team inspected the construction of the Omulunga Combined School hostel, the new classrooms at Olivia Nakale Primary School, and the new hostel, classrooms, and dining hall at Oshikunde Secondary School.
In the Kavango East, the visits included new classroom construction at Hompa Sitendu Mpasi Secondary School, Romanus Kamunoko Secondary School, and Tuhungireni Secondary School. In Kavango West, the team toured Bravel Primary School, which has a single classroom block built by the community in 1996 and now in a dilapidated state, and Leevi Hakusembe Secondary School, built around 1979 and in need of extensive renovations.
While commending progress on several projects, the committee expressed concern over the overall lack of classrooms, ablution facilities, administrative blocks, and hostel infrastructure, especially in light of the revised curriculum. Despite these challenges, the committee acknowledged the government’s efforts to address infrastructure deficits.
The team also visited the long-standing Eenhana Sports Facility in the Ohangwena region and Nkurenkuru Sports Facility in Kavango West. They noted significant improvement in progress after a local Vocational Training Centre took over work. However, the Eenhana Sports Facility, in planning since 2012, remains incomplete.
One major concern raised was the Epembe Vision School project, proposed by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in 2008. Although the state has been budgeting for it since 2014, no physical progress has been made to date.
The Committee also flagged quality concerns at newly built facilities. Buildings constructed by August 26 Construction at Olivia Nakale PS and Hompa Sitendu Mpasi SS showed signs of poor workmanship, including structural cracks, termite damage, leaking toilets, and unstable corridor railings. Some buildings were not yet handed over, despite being in use. By contrast, the standard of work at Tuhungireni SS was found to be better. Local inspectors attributed these issues to the use of inexperienced subcontractors, stating that local authorities have limited control over tender processes, which are managed from head office.
At Olivia Nakale PS, teachers and parents raised safety concerns over the lack of a boundary fence, especially as the school is located in an urban area. Risks such as child abduction, dog attacks, and theft were cited.
The Committee also highlighted abandoned projects, including incomplete teachers’ houses at Lazarus Haufiku Combined School in the Ohangwena region, left unfinished since 2016, and the science laboratory at Romanus Kamunoko SS in Kavango East, which has been dormant since February 2025. Learners are expected to write practical exams without having had access to lab sessions.
Additional visits included Mupapama Combined School in Kavango East, which dates back to 1976. Most of its classrooms have not seen any renovation since before independence.
The oversight delegation was led by Hon. Austin Samupwa (Deputy Chairperson) and included Hon. Tuhafeni Kalola, Hon. Fenny Tutjavi, Hon. Bertha Nghifikwa, and Hon. Vilho Iihemba.
