By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
The first-ever secondary school in Katutura, Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this weekend.
The celebrations that will also serve as a reunion for former students and teachers, starts on Thursday.
Started in 1977, Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School – named after one of Namibia’s heroes who spent many years on Robben Island together with other struggle icons like Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Nelson Madiba Mandela – was at the forefront of student resistance during Namibia’s long and bitter struggle for independence.
Many student leaders and teachers from the school were harassed, detained and tortured especially in the 1980’s, while the NANSO (Namibian National Students Organisation) branch at the school was one of the most active and leading branches in the country that spearheaded major student uprisings in 1988 against the militarization of education by the South African colonial government.
The school has contributed enormously towards the socio-economic development of Katutura and has outstanding records of performance in sport, cultural renewal and addressing social challenges such as drugs and alcohol abuse, Aids and crime facing township residents.
Some of its graduates are now at the forefront of the country’s socio-economic development initiatives and providing leadership in private, public and civil society.
According to the chairperson of the main organising committee Uhuru Dempers, the official programme will kick off on Thursday at 6 pm until 8 pm with the launch of the school’s alumni association, which is open to all former students, teachers and workers to join.
“The purpose of the association will be to create a platform through which former students and teachers can make a meaningful contribution towards the further growth and development of the school,” said Dempers.
He added: “The first major project of the association will be the establishment of the Shifidi Bursary Fund, which will provide financial and material assistance to current students for studies at tertiary institutions, vocational training colleges and for short courses to make them useful citizens.
“This fund will also support orphans and vulnerable learners who are victims of HIV/Aids, amongst others, with payment of school fees and material needs such as uniforms and school stationery, and will also support educational development projects at the school,” he said.
On Friday, the official ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary will kick off at 11h30 with an address by Prime Minister Nahas Angula.
Saturday’s activities will start with a Big Walk March through Katutura as a way to express gratitude to its residents for the 30 years of support, followed by a Family Fun Day extravaganza at the school, and later in the evening a Miss Shifidi pageant.
The anniversary event will conclude with an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Church Service on Sunday in the School Hall starting at 2pm.
“During the service which will be led by former students and teachers that are now spiritual leaders, a special ceremony will be held to remember former students, teachers, workers and School Committee/School Board members that have passed on. Before the church service, the grave of the late Immanuel Shifidi will be visited for a wreath-laying ceremony,” said Dempers
A Gala Fundraising Dinner will be held on October 25 at the Windhoek Country Club and tickets are already on sale at N$270 per person.
All proceeds are to go towards the Shifidi Bursary Fund.