From shame to dignity … Okongo teachers leave shacks for houses

Auleria Wakudumo After years of living in makeshift shacks, teachers at Helao Nafidi Combined School in Oshiti shaHaihonya village, Okongo, finally have proper accommodation. The newly constructed teachers’ house consists of eight bedrooms – four allocated to male teachers and four to female teachers – a kitchen, showers and a sitting room. Ohangwena governor Kadiva Hamutumwa said the project was a direct response to challenges she witnessed during her visit to the school with the Ohangwena education director Isak Hamatwi last year.

“This project is a result of listening to the concerns on the ground and responding with urgency,” she said. Hamutumwa noted that the initiative reflects what can be achieved through partnership, acknowledging AffluentGen Group (ABT Panel Company) for sponsoring the construction as a pilot project implemented where the need was greatest. She said that the project was completed by a team of six skilled workers and 10 general workers from the local community.

“The provision of this accommodation is not merely about infrastructure, but it is about restoring dignity, improving working conditions and ensuring that our teachers are well supported,” she said. She added that when educators are provided with decent living spaces, they are better positioned to deliver quality education and positively impact the lives of learners. She added that plans are in place to fence the area and address additional needs, including adding more accommodations.