By: Annakleta Haikera
The government has announced a decongestion initiative targeting 39 overcrowded schools across five regions. This is in an effort to improve learning conditions and reduce strain on teachers and infrastructure.
According to government figures, the country has around 209 critically overcrowded schools.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC), will focus on schools in the Kavango East, Khomas, Erongo, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions. These schools were selected out of 209 nationwide that are struggling with overcrowding.
Speaking during a visit to Ndama East School in Rundu on Friday, MEIYSAC minister Sanet Steenkamp explained that the focus will be on schools where learner populations have exceeded 2,000.
“We have decided to join the Right Honourable Prime Minister on this visit as part of a broader plan,” Steenkamp said. “Our priority is to decongest schools that are extremely overcrowded, with some having more than 2,000 learners,” she added. “Out of the 209 schools identified nationally, 39 have been selected for urgent intervention,” she explained.
NDAMA COMBINED SCHOOL AMONG THE MOST OVERCROWDED
One of the most severely affected schools is Ndama Combined School, which currently has 2,669 learners.
“It was clear that urgent action was needed to relieve the pressure on this school,” Steenkamp stated.
“Our national decongestion activities worked very well in coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister and his regional plan,” Steenkamp highlighted.
The decongestion plan will create new schools and expand existing ones to ensure learners have access to safe and adequate facilities.
During Friday’s visit, consensus was reached among local, regional, and national leaders on where the new Ndama East School will be constructed, following formal allocation of land by the Kavango East Regional Council.
“We requested that the land allocation be formalised by the regional council, and they agreed that the new school will be built on the original site where the community first established it,” Steenkamp shared.
“The elation of the community today was clear. This decision reflects the power of collaboration between government and the people,” the minister said.
Steenkamp also met with Ndama headman Olavi Mpande, describing their discussion as “insightful and constructive.”
“We reassured the headman that all stakeholders, including the volunteers who kept the school running, are vital partners in education,” Steenkamp remarked, adding that “we all want what is best for the children.”
Namibia has about 2,061 schools serving over 927,000 learners, with numerous of those schools experiencing acute overcrowding. Some schools have more than 1,500 learners per institution, with classroom shortages leading to high pupil-to-teacher ratios.
Notable examples include the abovementioned Ndama Combined School in Kavango East with 2,669 learners, Sauyemwa Combined School in Rundu with 2,463 learners, and Tsintsabis Combined School in Oshikoto Region (built for 135 learners, but now serving 779).
In urban centres like Windhoek, some classrooms host around 50 learners per teacher. The causes of overcrowding include rapid urbanisation, insufficient classroom space, and the use of makeshift structures for teaching.
These conditions put a strain on teachers and affect the quality of education, highlighting the urgent need for interventions such as the current decongestion initiative.
