MARTIN Luther High School at Omaruru in Erongo region, has been facing water challenges since the beginning of this month after the school's borehole malfunctioned.

According to the school principal, Israel Mavenonjo, the school's borehole needs to be cleaned.

Yesterday, Mavenonjo said the Namibian Defence Force has helped out the school by filling up its water tanks.

"Hopefully, by this week the issue will be resolved. The issue is being attended to and we were busy selecting a drilling company. It is not that we do not have water, it is just that there is no running water at the moment," Mavenonjo said, adding that pupils have been using the bush to relieve themselves as there are no pit latrines at the school.

"Since we do not have a choice, the pupils have to use the bush while we are attending to the issue. The pupils are in the hostel and we cannot send them home because we will be late," he said.

The principal said the school has an enrolment of 270 pupils.

"Grade 11 examinations are approaching and we cannot send them (pupils) home. [Although] this issue is common in Namibia, it is our first experience," the principal said.

The education ministry's spokesperson, Sam Shino, yesterday said the head office has not recieved a report about the ongoing water crisis at the school, adding that they will look into it today.