Matongo School Still in Poor Condition

By Dominic Sikopo

GOVERNMENT School named after SWAPO PLAN Combatant Commander Greenwell Matongo is in a state of disaray as there are fears that given its current condition the school can collapse at any time and cause serious injuries to the learners, Caprivi Vision established.

“Something should be done soon to the school because the learners are not in a good situation, the sewerage system is in a poor state, we were even forced to suspend one classroom because it is no longer fit for usage”, said Mr. Jimmy Sikwela (42) the concerned chairperson of the school board.

Greenwell Matongo Primary School was opened in 2006, and accommodated a large number of learners from locations of Choto , Greenwell Matongo and Mavuluma who could not be accommodated to other primary schools in Katima.

members of the school board have been calling the Ministry of Education insitute investigations on the poor state of the constructions to be investigated.
Mr Sikwela revealed to this paper that he even discussed the school’s current situation with the late Minister of Education Dr. Abraham Iyambo, “it is unfortunate that the Minister passed away because he had promised to come and see the schools condition”, he said.

This paper ran a story on the school`s plight back in 2008 where it exposed the school’s state at the time and it seems as if things have gone from bad to worse since then and things show that the main source of the problems seems to stem from poor construction as the school started showing signs of deteoration as soon as 2008 given that the school was built as early as two years prior in 2006.

Caprivi Vision contacted the Acting Director of Education in Caprivi Mr. Austin Samupwa to find out if he was aware of the primary school`s current state,“I am not aware of the school’s situation, it wasn’t brought to the attention of the school inspector or my office” explained Mr. Samupwa.

Asked what steps he would take now that he knew what was happening, Mr. Samupwa warned , “I do not discuss school problems with the media”, he concluded.

The building of the school finished in 2005, since independence the Ministry of Education has since constructed two primary schools in the town of Katima Mulilo named after two Caprivian heroes late Mr.Brendan Simbwaye ,president of the Caprivi African National Union (CANU) who contributed much to the liberation struggle of Namibia and late Mr. Greenwell Matongo who was a commander in SWAPO liberation Army (PLAN) during Namibia’s quest for independence.