Hundreds of residents in the Otjozondjupa Region on Thursday gathered at Otjiwarongo to celebrate the newly constructed classrooms at their schools, acquired through funding from the Otjikoto B2Gold Mine sponsorships.
Acting education regional director in Otjozondjupa, Chris Tjivikua, at the event said several new classrooms, modern laboratories, practical teaching aids, textbooks and digital equipment at schools in Tsumkwe, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Okahandja and Grootfontein, were among the instruments acquired this year.
“Therefore, it is worthy to celebrate this achievement together with our learners, teachers, parents, education administrators and the regional political leadership gathered here,” he said.
The gathering celebrated the occasion at the Otjiwarongo Senior Secondary School (SSS) hall with speeches, mechanical performances as simulation of repairing vehicles, songs, poem recitals and dances.
B2Gold Namibia Country Director, John Roos, on his part, said these newly built classrooms, school halls, computer laboratories, teachers’ administration blocks, hostel kitchens, school vegetable gardens and the purchasing of new teaching and learning aids, as well as the installations of the digital education equipment, cost the company over N.dollars 7.2 million.
Roos further said most of the beneficiary primary and secondary schools are in the localities of Otavi and Otjiwarongo, as well as the Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (Kayec) in Otjiwarongo.
Roos also announced that the Otjikoto B2Gold will continue to fund the construction activities at Ombili Primary School (PS) in Otjiwarongo with nearly N.dollars 4.9 million.
He said the Eduvision digital learning project under the Edugate Academy also in Otjiwarongo will receive N.dollars 795 000, Kayec N.dollars 700 000, the Little Shop of Physics N.dollars 500 000, Otjiwarongo SSS N.dollars 179 000 and Otavi PS with nearly N.dollars 108 000.
Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Edda Bohn, on behalf of education minister, Anna Nghipondoka, thanked B2Gold Namibia for the funding, saying other stakeholders should also assist the ministry in tackling the many challenges of inadequate textbooks, practical equipment aids and classroom shortages across the country.
Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua, Chairperson of the Otjozondjupa Regional Council, Marlayn Mbakera, and Otjiwarongo Mayor, Gottlieb Shivute, also attended the event.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency