Investigation launched at Cosmos High School

The Khomas education directorate has launched an investigation into Cosmos High School after principal Nkechi Nelson was accused of assaulting a pupil.

Pupils from the school claim Nelson assaulted a pupil who was later held at gunpoint by one of the security guards.

This was revealed during a petition handover by the pupils to Khomas regional education inspector Milton Steven, who said they will look into the matter.

Nelson, who was appointed as the principal in April 2023, denied all allegations against him.

“Yes, there has been a lot of suspensions in the last two months, many of which are learners that engage in fights and those that bully others. How can I suspend someone for smiling at me?”

He blamed the pupils and teachers for being “too comfortable”.

“The problem here is that the teachers and learners are lazy. Take a look at this mark sheet. None of these kids are ready for university. As per the history of Cosmos High, the marks are often cooked,” Nelson said.

Pupils raised their grievances to Steven and his team during the petition handover in the school hall.

“We are going to listen very carefully to your petition and will act upon it. We cannot act if we do not hear,” Steven said while briefly addressing pupils.

He urged pupils to restrain themselves for the best outcomes. He also indicated that his office will take action after the investigations being conducted at the school are complete.

Some of the pupils who aired their grievances complained about the continued insults they allegedly receive from Nelson.

They say the unbearable insults are directed at their teachers, parents and themselves.

“The devil is here, that’s what our principal calls himself, and often at times he would tell us to inform our parents,” one of the pupils said.

Another pupil highlighted that the principal suspends them for being a few minutes late and they are often searched every morning. Sometimes, these searches are done in an aggressive manner and during winter they were forced to remove their shoes to be searched.

“We want him removed from our school as soon as possible! Our mental health is affected by the way the principal is treating us.

“How can we educate the learners if we are being shouted at and insulted before we begin with class? Every day we are being compared to teachers from Delta Secondary School and are informed that we are stupid. Truly, we are tired,” a group of teachers from the school added.

Seen on the school premises were members of the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso), who were there to fulfill their organisation’s mandate to ensure the rights of pupils are protected.

“The learners have spoken. Enough is enough, and we need an outcome that is favourable and fair to all learners, which allows them to continue learning in a conducive environment,” student body member Lavinia Leonard said.