Ncamagoro: Ncamagoro Combined School in the Kavango West Region has identified poor attendance and learner indiscipline as persistent challenges, with the growing number of children living in child-headed households emerging as a key factor.According to Namibia Press Agency, the principal of the school, Mukuve Sikongo, highlighted the difficulties faced by the community in a recent interview. Many parents leave their remote villages so their children can attend school, setting up temporary shelters nearby. Despite these efforts, parents often return to their homesteads to protect their mahangu fields, affecting school attendance and discipline.Sikongo noted that absenteeism peaks on certain days, especially Fridays, as children leave in search of food. The school's challenges are compounded by a high rate of teenage pregnancies, with 15 cases recorded last year, indicating the vulnerabilities children face without consistent parental guidance.Distance is another significant barrier, with some learners w alking 10 to 15 kilometers daily from surrounding villages like Mbeyo, arriving at school already exhausted. The fatigue from these long journeys affects their concentration and increases absenteeism, particularly during adverse weather conditions.Education Director in the Kavango West Region, Pontianus Musore, explained that the prevalence of child-headed households is largely due to poverty and unemployment. Many families cannot provide for their children, forcing them to fend for themselves. Additionally, parents often relocate for employment or pass away, leaving children without guardianship.Musore stated that the government has initiated several interventions, including social grants, financial support, and school support programs. Community and leadership involvement are encouraged to identify and support child-headed households to ensure children are not living alone and without care.The government, along with its partners, also conducts mobile health outreach and nutrition programs to assist vu lnerable children in remote areas. Additionally, a drought relief and food assistance program targets those in need, helping to alleviate some of the burdens faced by child-headed households.