Future uncertain for students at Mariental youth skills centre

THE future of students at the Kai-//Ganaxab Youth Skills Centre is in doubt because of alleged conflict between the centre’s head and two instructors.

The conflict is said to be personal grudges between the head of centre, Uirikua Kavita, and the carpentry and plumbing instructors, Eslon Kavari and Abisai Sibele.Severe shortages of study material for practical classes last year denied 28 plumbing and carpentry students the opportunity to do their exams and graduate. Out of the 28, fewer than eight students returned to the centre this year to complete their one-year certificate course in the plumbing and carpentry trades.The material shortage has since been resolved, but the students who returned fear that an unresolved stand-off between the head of the centre and the two instructors will again jeopardise their studies. ‘We’re victims of the ongoing conflict between the instructors and the head of the centre,’ said one student The Namibian spoke to. Kavari and Sibele are boycotting practical lessons following the completion of theoretical lessons in May. Both Kavari and Sibele admitted that they have stopped teaching practical classes.Kavari said his students were not allowed to sit for exams last year although they had completed their practical work. ‘As prescribed I did complete the practical work with the students and they were eligible to sit for the year-end exams, but they were refused by Kavita,’ said Kavari. Kavari claimed Kavita accused him of not having taught practical lessons to the students, and gave it as reason why he barred the students from writing the year-end exams. ‘I cannot waste my time on teaching the same students that I taught last year,’ Kavari gave as reason for not teaching practical classes. Accusing Kavita of playing with the students’ future, Kavari claimed students in the fashion design and tailoring trades were allowed to sit for exams last year although they had not done any practical work because of malfunctioning equipment. For his part, Sibele claimed he could not continue with the practical lessons because the students did not do any drawings. ‘The two [drawing and practicals] are related, and it makes it extremely difficult for students to understand practical lessons if they haven’t learned about drawings,’ said Sibele. He claimed Kavita was aware of this, but is reluctant to take action against instructor Muinjonganda Tjipueja, who is responsible for teaching drawings. Kavita rejected the two instructors’ claims as ‘pure lies and childish’ .’First they blamed shortages of study material, now they’re shifting the blame to something else,’ said Kavita. luqman@namibian.com.na