Namibia Minute.
Monday, 8 June 2026
Namibia’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Monday, 8 June 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Christine Shilima

2026-01-142026-06-08

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. January 2026
  2. New Era

    Director of education Christine Shilima said they have started procurement process to get a temporary solution

    Source

    New Era spoke to the director of education in Kavango East, Christine Shilima, who said that they have started with the procurement process to get a temporary solution.

    Poor sanitation shuts Rundu Rural school
  3. The Namibian

    Kavango East regional education director Christine Shilima says her region is defying recommended pupil-teacher ratios to accommodate all pupils

    Source

    Kavango East regional education director Christine Shilima says her region does not have pupils who are not attending school as they are defying the recommended pupil-teacher ratio.

    Over 1 000 Namibian pupils left without school places as classroom shortages reach crisis point
  4. New Era

    Christine Shilima said classrooms are not enough and some learners are taught in afternoon at Dr Diaz Secondary

    Source

    "We are challenged by space. The classrooms are not enough. For example, at Dr Diaz Secondary, some learners are taught in the afternoon.

    No space for AS level learners in Kavango East
  5. New Era

    Christine Shilima confirmed learners were turned away at registration points and has since intervened

    Source

    She confirmed that learners were turned away at registration points but said she has since intervened and learners were expected to return to school yesterday.

    School turns 100 learners away over fees
Society

Kavango West secondary school bans pupil snacks from hostel

The News

Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School in Kavango West has prohibited pupils from bringing food to the hostel, citing waste reduction and fairness concerns. The principal says the rule encourages use of the school dining hall, though parents claim their children are going hungry.

17 April 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 17 April

  1. Kavango West secondary school bans pupil snacks from hostel

    Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School in Kavango West has prohibited pupils from bringing food to the hostel, citing waste reduction and fairness concerns. The principal says the rule encourages use of the school dining hall, though parents claim their children are going hungry.

    17 April 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 14 April

  1. Rundu schools receive over 400 refurbished chairs and desks

    Two secondary schools in Rundu received 200 chairs and 189 desks after local craftsmen refurbished broken furniture with a N$90,000 sponsorship from KDG Autolink, easing a chronic furniture shortage that had left learners without seating during examinations.

    14 April 2026 · New Era

Thursday 26 March

  1. Ndama East residents protest teacher recruitment at Rundu school

    Residents and former volunteer teachers at Ndama East Primary School in Kavango East are protesting the recruitment process, alleging unfair exclusion of 14 volunteers who established and built the school from 2018 to 2022 under difficult conditions with minimal resources. Only two of the qualified volunteers were appointed despite the school now having grown to over 1,600 pupils, and community members have called for intervention and compensation.

    26 March 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 19 March

  1. Fifteen pupils at Rundu hostel treated for food poisoning

    Pupils at Rundu Secondary School in Kavango East reported suspected food poisoning after eating lunch, with 15 treated and four admitted to hospital. The pupils blamed the hostel kitchen's dirty conditions and poor hygiene, noting the presence of cockroaches, flies, and drainage problems; health inspectors were investigating and similar incidents have affected schools across both Kavango regions.

    19 March 2026 · The Namibian

Wednesday 18 March

  1. Private school defies education directive, continues unauthorised Grade 10

    Eileen Private School in Kavango East is offering Grade 10 classes despite a January directive from the regional education directorate to stop, as the school is only authorised to teach pre-primary through junior secondary. The school owner disputes the inspector's approach while the education directorate says the school violated the Basic Education Act by not submitting a required application for the new classes.

    18 March 2026 · The Namibian

  2. 283 learners hit by suspected food poisoning at Rundu school

    A suspected food poisoning outbreak at Rundu Senior Secondary School has affected 283 learners, with four admitted to hospital and 11 under medical observation. The incident, linked to food consumed on Monday, comes as the Kavango regions have recorded 30 food poisoning deaths over the past three years, and at least five cases have been reported since the beginning of 2026.

    18 March 2026 · Informanté

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Fifteen pupils hospitalised with suspected food poisoning

    Fifteen pupils from Rundu Secondary School in Kavango East region are at Rundu State Hospital with suspected food poisoning, while 283 pupils at the hostel showed symptoms of diarrhoea. Health inspectors are investigating the cause, with hostel superintendent Samuel Marungu saying the suspected contamination may be linked to meals served for lunch or dinner.

    17 March 2026 · The Namibian

Tuesday 3 March

  1. Nored strike leaves schools without power, food spoiling

    A Northern Regional Electricity Distributor strike in Kavango East has cut power to school hostels since Friday, forcing the closure of facilities serving over 2,000 pupils and spoiling food supplies. The strike stems from wage negotiations; employees are demanding a 6% pay increase and a 14th cheque, while Nored has offered 3.5% and agreed to the cheque.

    3 March 2026 · The Namibian

Friday 27 February

  1. Rundu school closure extends over sanitation failures

    Mutwarantja Primary School in Rundu has remained closed for a month due to dilapidated pit latrines deemed unsafe by parents and staff. The education directorate says procurement delays are preventing toilet construction, despite available regional council funds, leaving approximately 300 learners out of school.

    27 February 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 25 February

  1. Leaked document shows 5% civil servant pay rise from 2026

    A leaked government document indicates civil servants and teachers will receive a 5% salary increase for the 2026/27 financial year and a further 5% for 2027/28, with no transport allowance increment in 2026/27 but a 7% increase scheduled for 2027/28. A senior government official confirmed the document's authenticity and said an official announcement will be made in due course, though some government bodies including the Prime Minister's office said they are unaware of the increment.

    25 February 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 29 January

  1. Rundu Rural school closes due to unsafe pit latrines

    Mutwarantja Primary School in Rundu Rural has suspended classes for a second week because its pit latrines are unsafe for teachers and learners in grades 0–7. The education directorate is working on a procurement process for temporary and permanent sanitation solutions, while the school explores immediate repairs using available funds.

    29 January 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 28 January

  1. Education ministry struggles to place over 1,000 pupils in schools

    The Namibian education ministry is struggling to place over 1,000 pupils in schools nationally due to rapid population growth and a shortage of classrooms, with children sitting at home weeks into the academic year, particularly in densely populated regions like Khomas. The ministry says it is repurposing existing facilities and will ensure all pupils receive access to education, though officials acknowledge the classroom backlog is a recurring challenge that has not kept pace with population growth.

    28 January 2026 · The Namibian

Thursday 22 January

  1. Kavango East education directorate says no space for AS level learners

    The Kavango East education directorate says there is insufficient classroom space to place Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level learners who upgraded from grade 11, with spaces reserved for full-time grade 11 learners. The directorate is waiting until the end of the week to see which enrolled learners do not return to AS level before opening admissions to learners from part-time schools.

    22 January 2026 · New Era

Wednesday 14 January

  1. School turns away 100 learners over unpaid development fund fees

    About 100 learners were sent home from Joy Mungungu Senior Primary School in Rundu during registration after their parents failed to pay N$210 School Development Fund contributions, sparking parent protests; the Kavango East education director confirmed learners were turned away but said she intervened so they could return, noting the school board raised the fees to fund temporary classrooms to address overcrowding and safety concerns in the area.

    14 January 2026 · New Era

Christine Shilima — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute