MILE 10 – Ncagcu Combined School in Kapako Constituency, Kavango West Region, on Friday received a new and fully fledged school block consisting of four classrooms and a storeroom from the government of Japan.
“Due to the overcrowding of our classrooms, our learners were taught under the tents and some under the trees. So, on that basis, we looked for sponsors to come and lend a hand to our school by way of building for us new classrooms,” said the school headmaster, Johannes Litwayi, during the handover.
“We tried seeking for that support from various companies and we failed. Then we were brought up to speed by a Good Samaritan on how we should go about getting the Japanese government to help us through their embassy and the embassy heard our call. For this reason, we are here today celebrating with four classrooms and a storeroom,” Litwayi said further.
The Government of Japan provided a grant of N$836,141.75 to Ncagcu Combined School this February.
“I am informed that the 145 learners of Grade 1 and 2, who are currently being taught either in temporary structure classrooms or in overcrowded classrooms, are going to move into the new classrooms today,” said the Japanese Ambassador to Namibia, Hideaki Harada.
“It is my great pleasure to observe that as of today, all the school learners in Ncagcu Combined School are to be educated in permanent structure classrooms and that the assistance from Japan can contribute to more conducive educational environment in the school,” Harada added.
“It’s a great pleasure for me to be invited to come and witness an important event this morning of the handover of four classrooms and a storeroom at Ncagcu Combined School. We thank the Japanese Embassy for accepting to support our school and constructing for us these classrooms,” said Kavango West Governor, Sirkka Ausiku, during the handover event.
“Our gratitude goes to the people of Japan for forging a friendship with our region. More so, with the community of MILE 10 Village, The classrooms will help in addressing the overcrowding of learners and will create a conducive learning environment at the school,” Ausiku added.
Ncagcu Combined School was established in 1973 and currently has Grade 0 to Grade 10. It has 26 teachers, one administration officer and one institutional worker and 662 learners.