Ministry Probes Alleged Overpriced School Furniture

 

By: Dolly Menas

 

Minister of Education, Arts, and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka, has launched an investigation into the procurement process of the alleged overpriced furniture for the Himarwa Ithete Secondary School in the Kavango West region.

The decision follows public outcry over the perceived exorbitant prices paid for mattresses, beds, and chairs for the school.

Recent media reports revealed that the ministry paid N$1.5 million for school furniture, with charges as high as N$1200 per learner chair, N$1500 per learner table, N$2 700 per teacher desk, N$2 500 per teacher chair, N$4000 for each laboratory tool, and N$5 500 each for 120 bunk beds.

Minister Nghipondoka clarified that while regional offices typically handle procurement for basic education facilities, larger projects like the expansion of Himarwa Ithete Secondary School, funded by the African Development Bank, are managed through the head office.