Several boys at Caprivi Senior Secondary School were last week forced to sleep in cold corridors without blankets as punishment for losing hostel keys, drawing condemnation from a students' organisation and parents.
Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has called for immediate disciplinary action against those responsible for forcing the grades 8 and 9 boys to sleep outside.
The pupils' parents are outraged at the treatment.
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Zambezi regional education director Alex Sikume confirmed the incident on Friday.
He said the regional directorate condemns such punishment in the strongest terms.
"We are taking steps to deal with the issue in line with applicable provisions of public service staff rules," he said.
Nanso spokesperson Jessy Abraham yesterday said letting pupils, some under the age of 15, sleep in a corridor in winter without blankets in freezing temperatures is not discipline.
She said it's cruel, degrading, and a clear violation of the rights and dignity of children enshrined in both the Namibian Constitution and the Basic Education Act.
"No child should be made to endure dangerous physical conditions as a consequence of losing a key. A misplaced key is an administrative inconvenience.
The response to it must never place a child's health and life at risk," she said.
Abraham called on the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture to conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the matter that would lead to decisive disciplinary action against those found responsible.
"Furthermore, our call is for the Katima Mulilo circuit inspector and the regional education director to urgently report their findings to the public. The silence from the school's leadership is also unacceptable.
Hostel supervisors and school principals hold a position of in loco parentis.
"That trust has been gravely betrayed in this instance.
Nanso will be monitoring the outcome of this investigation closely and reserves the right to escalate this matter to the relevant ombudsman and child protection authorities should accountability not be forthcoming.
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The welfare, rights, and dignity of every Namibian pupil are non-negotiable," she said.
In a letter written to social activist Michael Amushelelo and seen by The Namibian last week, concerned parents say it was an extremely cold night on which the boys had to sleep outside, with their children's health and well-being, therefore, compromised.
"We are particularly concerned that such a severe punishment was imposed for an issue that could have been resolved through more reasonable and responsible measures.
The replacement cost of a key is minimal, and parents could have been informed and given an opportunity to assist," the parents say.
They are calling for accountability and assurances that such an incident would not happen again.
"We are disappointed by the apparent silence from those entrusted with safeguarding the welfare of pupils.
Parents send their children to school with the expectation that they will be safe, protected, and treated with dignity.
"Learning that children were left to endure freezing conditions as punishment has caused significant distress among families and the wider community," the parents write.
