Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu has commissioned a Sh6 million administration block at Olashapani Secondary school, Narok South Sub County in a bid to boost learning at the institution.
Ntutu also gave Sh1.3 million to sponsor the needy but bright children in the school, most of whom are rescued from early marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The county boss challenged the young girls to work hard in school so as to score good marks and join higher institutions of learning, saying girls have an equal chance of becoming professionals just like the boys.
He lauded the institution’s management for accommodating girls who are rescued from retrogressive cultural practices, even without paying school fees, and committed to continue sponsoring the vulnerable children so that they can complete their studies.
‘Already, 248 children in this school have received full scholarships from the county government. I commit to continue supporting the education of the needy and vulnerable girls so that they can comple
te the education system,’ reiterated Ntutu.
In a bid to continue supporting girl education in the county, Governor Ntutu promised to buy a Sh8 million bus for the school to aid transportation.
The governor also commissioned a new classroom at Ololulunga Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centre.
The area Deputy County Commissioner Felix Kisalu confirmed that the school has accommodated many girls rescued from vulnerable situations.
‘This place had experienced skirmishes three years ago, that affected the learning in this place. However, we are happy that this school accommodated many girls whose parents could not afford to take their children to school and those rescued from retrogressive cultural practices,’ said the DCC.
He asked the county government to continue upgrading the school by building a rescue centre where the girls who face threats at their homes can remain during school holidays as they wait to be integrated with their families.
‘We have no rescue centre in this sub county yet w
e have many cases of girl marriage and FGM. The rescue centre will serve as a comfort zone for the rescued girls before they are integrated back to the community,’ said Kisalu.
The school’s principal, Ms. Gloria Nkatha said the school began in the year 2015 with a handful students but the population has since increased to 700 students.
She confirmed that most of her students are the rescued girls and very needy but bright students, who are mostly accommodated in school even without paying school fees.
She thanked the county government for the support to boost the school’s infrastructure, promising that the school targets to get an average of C+ grade this year.
In the financial year 2023/2024, the county government of Narok set aside Sh100 million for development in each of the 30 wards in the county.
Source: Kenya News Agency
WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) has joined the rest of the world in commemorating International Mother Language Day, with the theme ‘Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning.’
The United Nations (UN) has established 21 February as a day to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity. This is to demonstrate dedication to the development and preservation of mother tongues worldwide.
The education ministry in a press release on Wednesday stated that mother tongues are essential for good learning and cognitive development.
‘The ministry has long encouraged the use of mother tongues in schools, particularly in the junior primary phase. According to research, teaching children in their native languages enhances understanding, engagement, and knowledge retention,’ it said.
It added that preserving mother languages is crucial for cultural identity, particularly in Africa which is home to over 2 000 distinct languages.
By valuing and preserving mother language
s the MoEAC through teaching and learning contributes to the richness of humanity’s linguistic heritage, it said.
‘As we commemorate World Mother Language Day, the ministry encourages all Namibians to take pride in their mother languages that contribute to the country’s cultural diversity. We remain committed to the promotion of multilingualism in education, ensuring that all learners have equal access to quality education,’ it stated.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency