Renthia Kaimbi
More than 40 Namibian learners are leaving the Windhoek International School (WIS) every year, according to a confidential whistleblower complaint sent to the Windhoek Observer.
The complaint alleges that Namibian children and employees are treated as less important than foreign counterparts and that school leaders handle problems internally while presenting an image of stability to the public.
It also claims some board members may not have the proper work permits required under Namibian law.
In a letter sent to parents on 10 May, WIS educational director Ethan van Drunen rejected the allegations and described the complaint as “anonymous, unsubstantiated, and inaccurate”.
Van Drunen said the complaint did not come through the school’s official whistleblower system.
“Email technology allows any sender to insert a Reply-To address different from the actual sending account,” he wrote.
“The email created a misleading impression that the communication was submitted through an official protected reporting mechanism when it was not.”
He also alleged that the complaint resembled messages previously sent by a former WIS board member.
“The language, themes, timing, and allegations contained within the email are similar to repeated communications previously made by a former WIS board member over a period of several months,” van Drunen wrote.
He said the allegations were without merit and called for “these threats of escalation to now stop”.
The whistleblower, however, described what they called a repeated pattern inside the school.
“The concern is not a single incident, an internal disagreement, or one parent’s complaint,” the submission states. “It is a pattern – visible inside the school and increasingly outside it.”
The complaint claims Namibian families are withdrawing their children from the school in large numbers, mainly because of bullying, while Namibian staff feel undervalued and exposed.
It also alleges that the school only reacts after incidents happen and that key decisions are made without proper transparency.
Van Drunen denied that the school discriminates against Namibians.
He said WIS has students from 53 nationalities and that the number of Namibian learners and staff has increased over the past year.
“While we remain a learning institution that is always open to feedback and continuous improvement, the reality is that WIS is a regional leader in student wellbeing and safeguarding,” he wrote.
He also said the school board provides “lawful and accountable governance”.
The whistleblower further questioned whether some board members have proper immigration and work authorisations.
“Board members exercise governance authority over an institution operating under Namibian law,” the complaint states.
“Performing such duties in Namibia ordinarily requires the appropriate immigration and work authorisation.”
The current board includes Dan Rooney, an official from the United States Embassy and Dustin Washburn, who was appointed by the United States ambassador.
The complaint also questioned whether the school has become too closely aligned with one foreign government.
The whistleblower further alleged that Namibian staff are paid less than foreign employees doing similar work and face quicker disciplinary action.
It claims foreign staff and those close to leadership receive “more protection, more benefit of the doubt, and more informal support”.
The submission also described what it called a “culture of staff fear”, where employees fear retaliation, non-renewal of contracts or being labelled difficult if they speak openly.
“When staff are afraid to speak, a school’s safeguarding and governance systems weaken,” the complaint states.
“Problems remain hidden until they become public, or until parents force them into the open.”
Van Drunen did not directly respond to the allegations about work permits, pay differences or treatment of Namibian staff and learners.
Instead, he encouraged community members to use the school’s reporting systems for concerns.
He said the school’s internal processes “operate responsibly and fairly”.
The complaint also referred to boardroom disputes in late 2025 involving the extension of Van Drunen’s contract.
It alleges the decision was pushed through without being properly placed on the meeting agenda and without all documents being shared beforehand.
According to the submission, three board members abstained from the vote while two elected members later resigned, leaving the board without enough elected members under its own rules.
The whistleblower said the school later told parents everything was in order without fully explaining the resignations or events that took place.
The submission also referred to a recent incident where children reportedly left school grounds without proper parental permission.
In a separate letter dated 8 May, van Drunen confirmed that children travelled on a school bus and attended a football fixture without permission being properly verified.
“The review confirmed that your child travelled on the school bus and participated in the U10 Soccer fixture without parental permission having been properly verified prior to departure,” he wrote.
“This represented a failure to correctly implement established school procedures.”
He apologised for “the anxiety and confusion experienced” and said procedures had since been changed.
The whistleblower argued that incidents at the school are often followed by apologies without visible structural changes.
The complaint also raised concerns about a recent polio vaccination campaign at the school.
It claims parents were informed that children would receive vaccinations unless parents opted out, rather than the school first requesting consent.
“A child’s health is not a matter to be managed through ambiguous communication or presumed consent,” the complaint states.
The whistleblower called for an independent investigation into the allegations and asked for the issues to be examined publicly.
Van Drunen thanked parents and staff for their continued support of the school but did not indicate whether WIS would agree to an independent review.
