By Francis Tsawayo WINDHOEK Swapo Party has taken the first step towards establishing a party school modelled along the ones run by the Communist Party in China. The party is hosting a delegation of experts from the International Department of the Communist Party who are participating in a three-day workshop together with members of the Central Committee of the Swapo Party. Officiating at the workshop, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who also serves as Swapo Party’s Secretary for Information and Mobilisation, said the workshop is a follow-up to decisions made at the last congress to establish a party school. The four member delegation of the (IDCPC) is led by the Deputy Director General of Teaching and Research of Party History, Party School, Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Xie Chuntao, who is accompanied by Mou Hong, Division Director Bureau of African Affairs, International Department Central Committee, Long Ziaxian, the Division Director Party Building, Magazine and Research International Department Central Committee, CPC., and Zhang Jing the Interpreter of the Bureau of Africa Affairs International Department, Central Committee CPC. The group will deliver presentations on several topics that will focus on the practice and experiences of the CPC Party The workshop kicked off on Tuesday with the first session focussing on the background of the CPC, mainly the history of the CPC, practice and experiences of the CPC Party. The program continues today with presentations on the achievements and experience of the Reform and Opening Up Policy. The workshop, which will end today, will also hear presentations on the practice and experience on the educational program for maintaining the advanced nature of the CPC members’ scientific outlook on development and characteristics and function of the CPC organisation at grassroots levels. Speaking on the relationship between the two parties, Nandi-Ndaitwah revealed that cooperation and support from the CPC had continued to flourish from the days of the liberation struggle. Support from the CPC was instrumental to the attainment of independence by the Swapo Party. She reminded committee members familiar with the party from the days of the struggle that apart from material support that Swapo received which includes computers, the CPC had made great efforts towards skills development in the country. The minister was also glad to note that Mzee Kaukungua who was also present could vouch for the support that the Swapo Party received from the CPC because he had received his training in China. Addressing members of the Central Committee, she said the workshop was a positive step towards the realisation of the goals set during the congress to set up a party school and that the initiative was not to be taken lightly as it is also a way of strengthening the cooperation between the two parties. Nandi-Ndaitwah added that apart from the instrumental role during the struggle, the CPC was the first to set up diplomatic relations with the new democratic Namibia. Also addressing the Swapo Party members before the workshop commenced was the (IDCPC) head of delegation Xie Chuntao who echoed the same sentimentments on the relations between the two parties.