Education remains pivotal to the development of Namibia and to ensuring that collective efforts are made into providing good quality education for the Namibian child.
It is against this background that Namport, through the Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF), earlier this week donated 300 chairs and 300 desks valued at N$163,848.00 to the Onawa Secondary school after the school requested for assistance late last year. The need for additional furniture became evident after the school, due its outstanding performance, witnessed an influx of learners from surrounding towns and villages. The school has over 800 pupils enrolled for the 2021 academic year.
Speaking at the event, Governor of the Omusati region, Honourable Erginus Endjala commended Namport through its Fund for opening their generous hands to the Omusati region. He further urged the learners to “take good care of the furniture so that future generations can benefit from this kind donation”.
Handing the desks and chairs over to the school on behalf of NSIF, Mr Amos Shiyuka, NSIF Trustee member, challenged other schools to follow the excellent example set by the Onawa Secondary School in terms of academic performance and dedication to a better future displayed by the leaners at the school.
The Minister of Education and Culture, Honourable Ester Anna Nghipondoka, could not hide her joy about the acquisition for the school and applauded the learners for achieving outstanding Grade 10 results in the 2020 external examination, despite the challenges faced in the education sector due to the rampaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other sponsors such as the August 26 Company and Red Cross Namibia also followed suit and donated a hostel block and ablution facilities, hand sanitizers and cleaning materials respectively. This joined handover was a reinforcement of the notion that it indeed takes collective efforts from the society and the business world in educating a child.
In the past financial year (2018/2019) alone, Namport has invested 1,1 million Namibian dollars in the education system country wide.
NSIF will inaugurate two classrooms which were constructed at a cost of N$300,000.00 to the Five Rand Primary School in the Otjozondjupa region in the month of March.
The Ports Authority has always played an active role in supporting the education fraternity across the country and further strengthened its stance in 2017 when the Ministry of Education introduced the Friends in Education initiative.
For the past 15 years, Namport has reached out to Namibian communities through its Social Investment Fund, that was established on four values which are; Entrepreneurial and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Development, Health, Education and Environment.
SOURCE: Namport
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