Ongongo parents demand removal of principal, teacher

ONGONGO - Parents of Ongongo Primary School learners in the Kunene region have called on the education directorate to remove the school’s principal, Martin Simvula, and a fellow teacher after several allegations levelled against them such as alcohol abuse.

The parents have since last week removed most of the learners from the school, leaving only 27 pupils at the school out of 182. The disgruntled parents recently penned a letter to the Kunene region’s education director, Angelina Jantze, in which they alleged that the pair are conducting unwanted businesses on school premises. The letter, which was read on Tuesday at the staff meeting on behalf of the parents by Opuwo rural constituency councillor Western Muharukua, stated that the principal is selling and consuming alcoholic beverages on school property during school hours, a scenario which hampers academic performance.

The letter also stated that teachers are absent frequently, and not available when needed by the parents.

“This has caused a rift between teachers and parents. Teachers are not coming to school, and when we enquire about their whereabouts, we are told they are sick,” the letter reads. Speaking at the same occasion was

Stephanus Tjavara, a member of the school board committee, who charged that dishonesty has caused division among management members, and there is no way they [parents] can work with the teachers in question because of these allegations. He said parents are also concerned about the quality of education their children are receiving, adding that after lengthy research they have conducted by comparing their school to others, they concluded that Ongongo teachers are either incompetent or lack the will and wisdom to educate.

However, Jantze refuted allegations that the school is underperforming, noting that Ongongo was listed in the region’s top five performing primary schools previously.

“Ongongo was the best in Kunene. If you just look into the Kunene region, they were always in the top five in the region. I think there was even a question raised by other schools about how Ongongo, which is far in the village, was performing like that,” Jantze responded.

Kunene governor Marius Sheya has urged parents to allow their children to attend school, while advising for a stronger working relationship among parents, teachers and the school management.