Windhoek: Construction has officially begun on a N$69 million school hostel at Bravo settlement in the Kavango West Region's Mpungu Constituency, which is expected to significantly improve access to education for rural learners. The hostel will accommodate 240 boys and girls and reduce the long distances learners from Bravo and surrounding communities are currently forced to travel.According to Namibia Press Agency, the hostel is being constructed by NGC Investment, with the construction site officially handed over to the contractor on 12 September 2025. Completion is scheduled for May 2027. In an interview with Nampa on Monday, Kavango West Regional Council Public Relations Officer, Matheus Hamutenya, said the hostel forms part of government efforts to improve access to education infrastructure in remote areas.He said the Bravo facility is expected to reduce overcrowding at existing hostels in the Mpungu Constituency and provide safer accommodation for learners who currently rely on informal lodging or d aily travel from distant villages. 'This project will make a big difference for learners who have to walk long distances to school. They will be closer to school, arrive on time, and have more time to study and rest. Parents will also have peace of mind knowing their children are in a safe and supervised environment during the school term,' Hamutenya said.Mpungu Constituency Councillor Titus Shiundifonya said the hostel project has been listed in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework since 2015 and its implementation signals long-awaited progress for the Bravo community. 'Residents have for years raised concern about learners walking early in the morning and returning late in the afternoon, often on footpaths that are unsafe during the rainy season,' he said.The hostel will not only benefit Bravo learners, but also those from surrounding schools who will be placed at the facility, Shiundifonya stated. He said reducing distances would improve attendance and discipline, as learners will spend less time on t he road and more time on schoolwork. The councillor urged the contractor to complete the work on time so the hostel can open its doors to learners in 2027.