Namibia PDNA 2009 - GFDRR

The total damages and losses are summarized below.
Table 84: Flood damage and losses by Region
Region Damages Losses Regional %
Caprivi 1,170,856.90 48,844.88 4%
Kavango 294,000.00 2,870.40 1%
Ohangwena 820,000.00 408,289.05 4%
Omusati 15,287,908.14 3,133,044.40 55%
Oshikoto 9,348,100.00 -82.68 39 28%
Oshana 2,886,650.81 81,996.90 9%
TOTAL N$ 29,807,515.85 3,674,962.95 100%
-82.68 37
Some school buildings were reported as damaged, which
included pit latrines, and some minimal loss of furniture and
teaching and learning materials, all of which need to be replaced.
Equipment was reported as largely unaffected, as perhaps it had
been stored in advance of the flooding. Affected schools were
typically in rural areas, and composed of a mix of permanent
and traditional structures. In Caprivi, a total of eight schools
(four primary and four combined) suffered physical damages
and need some renovation as a result of inundations. Although
these schools were relocated with most of their furniture and
equipment, it is estimated that half of the textbooks, desks
and chairs, as well as chalkboards will need to be replaced.
In Omusati, the hostel blocks of one secondary school have
been compromised, which amounts to an escalation in costs,
as the construction of the Otjorute road diverted the flow
of water, causing these blocks to be damaged by the floods.
In Ohangwena, one primary school has suffered physical
damage (two permanent classrooms flooded). In Oshana, one
combined school was affected (one block of classrooms). No
physical damage to schools was identified for Kavango and
Oshikoto. Across all the Regions, the damage was exacerbated
by the fact that the infrastructure was not well maintained
prior to the floods.
A further analysis by level of educational institution revealed
that the major categories of damage across primary, secondary
and combined schools were sewerage and repairs, rehabilitation
and reconstruction (see Table 85 below).In the case of primary
schools, sewerage or damage to toilets/sanitation facilities was
as high as 64 percent of the total damage values. This is because
toilets tend to be located on lower ground compared to the
classrooms and were vulnerable to flooding.
37 Aside from Oshikoto, the affected regions experienced food
savings, because they did not provide food to learners when
schools were closed due to the flood. They did resume the
school feeding programme when schools opened. Since
Oshikoto primary schools were closed for only 10 days,
and re-opened for 14 holidays (where they provided food),
Oshikoto spent more money on providing food than they
would otherwise have done.
Table 85: Total damage by level of school
Primary Schools
Partially Damaged Schools
Secondary Schools
Partially Damaged Schools
Combined Schools
Partially Damaged Schools
Construction 28%
Furniture 7%
Sewerage 64%
Other 1%
Construction 94%
Furniture 0%
Sewerage 6%
Other 0%
Construction 7%
Furniture 6%
Sewerage 86%
Other 0%
Road infrastructure was a major impediment to school access.
New roads surrounding schools are being built without taking
into consideration water flows, resulting in schools being
flooded. Recovery measures pertaining to this are discussed
in a later section.
Under losses, three major categories emerged: (i) food
savings; (ii) demolition costs; and (iii) loss in school revenues.
The Ministry of Education Regional Offices saved money when
schools were partially or completely closed due to floods as
they did not provide food to learners during this time. Primary
and combined schools have a school feeding programme
under which one meal a day is provided to learners, while
secondary schools have hostels which provide three meals a
day. 38 The second largest loss was the demolition cost for the
38 Unit cost/learner at primary and secondary levels: N$1.56/day.
Source: Sanet Cloete, Regional Deputy Director, Ohangwena
and Ikera, Ministry of Education Central Office, May 2009. Unit
cost/secondary learner is N$19 on average. Sources: Hostel
Officers, Regional Offices in Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Omusati
and Oshana.
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Namibia POST-DISASTER NEEDS ASSESSMENT