More pupils with special needs enrolled at Kavango West

The Kavango West directorate of education has recorded an increase in the enrolment of pupils with special educational needs, rising to 181 this year from 107 in the 2025 academic year.

In an interview with Nampa yesterday, Kavango West regional director of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Pontianus Musore said the directorate remains committed to ensuring equal access to quality education for pupils with special educational needs despite resource constraints.

The region currently operates specialised support units at two schools. Kahenge Combined School offers learning support and intellectual impairment programmes, while Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School provides the basic pre-vocational skills programme for pupils with learning difficulties.

At Kahenge Combined School, 35 pupils are enrolled in the learning support unit and 17 in the Intellectual impairment unit.

Due to limited space, 16 pupils are on the waiting list for admission to the intellectual impairment unit for the 2027 academic year.

Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School has 129 pupils enrolled in the basic pre-vocational skills programme.

The directorate has also recorded low dropout rates among pupils with special educational needs.

This year, Kahenge Combined School recorded three dropouts, while Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School reported none.

Although all schools are expected to implement the National Inclusive Education Policy, only the two schools currently provide specialised support programmes because of limited resources.

Musore said the directorate continues to face challenges, including a shortage of trained special education teachers, inadequate specialist support services, inaccessible infrastructure such as hostels and classrooms, limited assistive learning materials, poverty, and long travelling distances for pupils.

To address these challenges, the directorate plans to expand access to inclusive education, strengthen teacher capacity, improve accessibility, and introduce a basic pre-vocational agriculture programme at Kahenge Combined School during the current academic year.

Musore said the measures are aimed at improving participation and learning outcomes for pupils with special educational needs.

“Our focus is on practical measures that open doors for pupils through more trained teachers, improved accessibility, and programmes that equip them with practical skills,” he said.

He urged communities and development partners to work with the directorate to sustain progress.

“With coordinated support, we can reach more pupils and ensure that no one is left behind,” Musore said.– Nampa

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