Elizabeth Hiyolwa
NKURENKURU – On yet another joyous occasion, parents, learners, educators and the public could hardly conceal their excitement as ululations were heard at the Kavango West Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture’s annual prize-giving ceremony at Christian Haihambo Combined School in Kapako Constituency last Friday.
The aim of the ceremony was to acknowledge the achievements of the best-performing learners, teachers, school principals and schools in the recently released Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSCO) and National Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS) 2021 national examination results.
The awards were presented in form of certificates, medals and trophies for their outstanding performances.
At the same event, the directorate acknowledged some regional staff members and constituency councillors in the region.
ELCIN Nkurenkuru High School was awarded the best performing school for both NSSCO and NSSCAS in the region, with Christian Haihambo Combined School in second place for NSSCO.
Patrick Tenga, the overall best performer for NSSCAS in the region and fifth nationally, said the award was worth it, as he believes that results are always a resemblance of one’s effort. He is currently enrolled at the University of Namibia for a Bachelor of Civil Engineering.
Nackson Sikomba who was awarded the best learner for NSSCAS in public schools eluded he feels proud that his hard work paid off; he plans to study Biomedical Science at the Namibia University of Science and Technology next year.
Jacinto Zombo, the principal of Christian Haihambo Combined School, said he and his team are glad they managed to perform so well, considering this was the first time the school offered NSSCO.
In achieving this, he said, “We worked hard; we had to go the extra mile – extra classes, weekend classes and mock exams – just to see how ready the learners were. We also had teams of speakers who motivated the learners, such as the career guidance team from education and the school board members”.
Zombo, however, argued this is a huge responsibility placed upon their shoulders, as they need to work harder to ensure they keep up the outstanding performance and not look like it was some sort of luck.
Musese constituency councillor Kosmas Katura described the ceremony as an event of acknowledging and rewarding academic celebrities for their performances.
He further applauded teachers for their hard work by describing them as nation builders.
“As nation builders, teachers are pillars of our society. These men and women lay a foundation for each and every learner’s future,” he stated.