By: Annakleta Haikera
The awaited project school at Rundu in the Kavango East region started on Monday morning, with stranded 730 learners who have been housed in 20 tents as classrooms.

The project school learners from grade 8 to 10who could not be placed at local schools. The tents were donated by the office of the prime minister and pegged at the Rundu Trade Fair grounds.
On Monday, learners started school after three weeks of being home and looking for placement. All learners came with different uniforms from their previous schools.The issue of uniforms will be discussed during the week.
The school has 11 teachers and a principal who were transferred from different schools. According to the regional education directorate, their posts will be advertised to recruit new teachers in their former positions.
Mateya Muhongo, acting deputy director of programme and quality assurance, said: “There will be enough chairs and tables for each learner and teachers that have transferred from other schools to the Rundu project school. Thus we are still waiting for more chairs and tables to be donated to the new school.”
According to Muhongo, the tents are strong enough and will not be blown away by strong wind, nor will the rain be a distraction to the learners at the school.
“Last week was very stressful because parents and learners were both gathered at the circuit office, some parents even threw stones at us, but we finally made it to provide tents to the learners that were not yet placed in schools,” he said.
He said Kavango East has another school called Siguruguru Combined School where learners are also taught in tents, which he said is an indication that the numbers of learners in the region is increasing.
A new learner at the project school, who chose to remain anonymous, said he registered at the school after he failed grade 8 at Ndama Combined School.
“I was very stressed and did not know what to do for the past three weeks that I was sitting home and not doing anything. I didnot want to be in the streets, but I am glad that today I can finally say I am repeating my grade 8 here.”
The Kavango East education director, Fanuel Kapapero said they received tents last week, but needed a suitable place to set them up, and the Rundu Trade Fair ground was chosen.
“We also had to sort out school furniture, teaching staff and get security guards. That is why it took us so long to start with teaching and learning,” he concluded.