Martin Endjala
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) has awarded a N$67 million procurement contract to construct phase 2 of the Otjomuise Primary School.
This was confirmed by CPBN spokesperson Johanna Kambala last week.
According to Kambala, construction is set to begin later this year and is expected to be completed within 22 months.
“The construction of additional classrooms will ease the burden of limited school placement currently faced by the ministry by increasing the capacity of the school to accommodate more learners,” she said.
CPBN signed a procurement contract agreement with Namibia Construction (PTY) Ltd. for the construction of the second phase of Otjomuise Primary School on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, valued at N$67 million.
The construction will consist of an administration block, four additional classroom blocks, sports facilities, alterations to the existing classrooms, feeding scheme facilities, and a guardhouse, among other things.
According to Kambala, the additional classrooms will guarantee that all children have access to education, thereby reducing classroom overcrowding, improving the quality of education, and ensuring that no child remains without a school placement.
In May of this year, the executive director of the education, arts and culture ministry, Sanet Steenkamp, announced that the ministry would build 512 new classrooms across the country.
The Treasury allocated N$18.4 billion, with a huge chunk of its budget going to salaries (N$14 billion).
This is the treasury’s highest budget allocation to date, accounting for 21.9% of the national budget.
According to Steenkamp, the ministry will have to allocate funds from the N$4 billion towards construction.
The ministry plans to implement ongoing projects with a budget of N$940 million.
The ED stated that the ministry’s biggest cost drivers are hostels, which currently house 65 000 pupils.
She added that hostel catering takes up most of the ministry’s operational budget, with close to N$1 billion per annum.
However, this year, she said the education grants will see an increase, with primary pupils getting N$300 and secondary pupils getting N$400.
During the 2023/2024 financial year, the Treasury allocated a special N$213 million to construct 510 additional classrooms at existing schools and 70 ablution facilities in all fourteen regions.
