By John Muyamba
RUNDU – Schools in Kavango East and Kavango West renovated by MCA-Namibia were recently handed over to the Ministry of Education.
Four of the schools handed over last Thursday are in Kavango East and one is in Kavango West.
Residents of both Kavango West and Kavango East joined the community of Namavambi to receive the renovated and expanded classrooms during the recent joint classroom handover.
The schools handed over by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) are, Namavambi Combined School in Kavango West while in Kavango East it was Shinyungwe Combined School in the Ndiyona Constituency, Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School in Rundu Urban, St. Boniface College in Mashare Constituency and Max Makushe Combine School in the Mukwe Constituency. They are all equipped with computer rooms, science laboratories and libraries while Namavambi Combined School has renovated houses for its teachers.
The Minister of Education, Dr David Namwandi, said “we are grateful because you have opened your hearts and your pockets to generously invest in the education of the Namibia child. Investing in education means investing in the future and success of the nation.”
He said Namibians will forever remain grateful for the MCA–N programme that will have a huge impact on the quality of education in Namibia. Namwandi urged learners and teachers to take good care of the schools.
“These classrooms are provided for you to learn and succeed in life. It should be your responsibility that classrooms are kept clean and tidy at all times. Please refrain from vandalism, writing on walls and keep the walls clean. Let us leave these classrooms in a neat condition for our younger brothers and sisters and maybe for your children.”
Speaking at the same event, Kavango West Governor, Sirkka Ausiku said, “We are gathered here with the sole purpose of receiving the schools renovated and upgraded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) through the Millennium Challenge Account Namibia (MCA-N) in the Kavango East and West regions. MCA-N has upgraded 5 schools in the two regions, for that we say thank you. Today is a joyous day for the education sector.”
Ausiku commended MCC and MCA-N for being highly responsive by addressing the priority areas and she also urged the recipients to look after the newly refurbished schools.
Also speaking at the same event was the newly appointed MCC CEO Dana Hyde, currently on a visit to Namibia to observe MCA–N closeout.
Hyde highlighted the importance of sustainability once the programme comes to an end in September this year.
Hyde said what is important now is for Namibians to maintain the momentum toward fully utilising the US$304 million funding intended to fight poverty and to promote economic growth.
MCA–Namibia CEO Penny Akwenye also spoke on behalf of the Director General of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Tom Alweendo. She said apart from providing infrastructure support, MCA–N also procured 1.7 million Mathematics, Science and English textbooks for grade 5 to 12 learners countrywide.
“The results of MCA–N interventions are all aimed at making learning and teaching much easier to handle, more practical and resourceful for purposes of improved learner performance outcome,” said Akwenye.
Hyde then proceeded to the nearby MCA–N funded Community–Based Rangeland and Livestock Management (CBRLM) project at Nsindi, where she met beneficiary farmers and observed the watering of cattle at the newly built water point. Last Friday she visited MCA–N supported conservancy activities in Zambezi Region before leaving for Washington DC the next day.
MCA–N is implementing development activities in the country’s education together with the agriculture and tourism sectors financed through MCC to the tune of US$t304.5 million (N$ 3 billion) with the aim to reduce poverty.
Forty–six percent of this sum or (US$141.4 million is budgeted for the education sector in Namibia. Activities in the Namibian education sector.