Ndama Junior Primary School ablution facilities worse than prison cells: Shaanika

Rundu: The condition of ablution facilities at Ndama Junior Primary School in Rundu is worse than that of prison cells , Namibia National Teachers Union ( Nantu ) Secretary General Loide Shaanika said here on Wednesday . Accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Ministry of Education , Arts and Culture , Shaanika conducted an assessment of the Ndama Junior Primary School ablution facilities following media reports that learners were relieving themselves in the school yard for three weeks due to a lack of water , broken toilets and full septic tanks . During the assessment , Shaanika was informed by school management that the septic tanks are emptied every two weeks , a situation she described as inhumane . ' Waiting for two weeks for people to relieve themselves before the tanks are emptied is inhumane . Not even a prison cell looks like what I ' ve seen here ,' she expressed . Shaanika said the teachers and learners at the school cannot operate in such an unhealthy envi ronment and that the employer must ensure that their working environment is conducive . The SG said the findings of the assessment will be reported to the highest authority in the Ministry of Education . She further condemned the bureaucratic process of the Ministry of Education for procuring services , saying it takes too long . ' It takes eight months to get a teacher into a classroom and two weeks for the ministry to identify someone to empty septic tanks at a school . This is uncalled for ,' she complained . She said that 34 years after independence , schools cannot still be subjected to using septic tanks , but should instead be connected to the town ' s main sewer system . Shaanika and her team also visited Sarusungu Combined School and Kaisosi Combined School , which are also experiencing challenges with septic tank issues . On her part , the Director of Education in the Kavango East Region Christine Shilima said the directorate will try its best to get a bidder to pump the septic tanks in a short peri od . Shilima suspended classes until further notice at Ndama Junior Primary School . The school has about 1 300 learners. Source: The Namibia News Agency