LÜDERITZ – Lüderitz’s Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School has a new science laboratory thanks to the generous investment of N$450 000 by the Anglo American Namibia Foundation, which says it responded to the need for a well-equipped science laboratory among schools in Lüderitz.
Thus, even though Angra Pequena Secondary School houses the laboratory, other schools in Lüderitz would be welcome to make use of the facility.
The laboratory will serve teachers and learners in Natural Science, Life Science and Physical Science.
“Training will enable teachers to improve their teaching skills and develop additional interest in the subject with renewed passion,” said the foundation’s coordinator Richard Cook during the opening of the laboratory last week Wednesday.
“The foundation identified and investigated the potential of implementing a science project for the Lüderitz community after it was approached by Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School through Cassius Shanjengange, who was then the school principal, and now the inspector of this area. After consultation with the regional office of education, I approached the board of trustees of the foundation and the project was approved,” said Cook.
The Anglo American Namibia Foundation’s primary aim is to improve the quality of life for people in the communities, especially those who are most vulnerable by supporting programmes, projects and services that are focused mainly on education, health and entrepreneurial development.
“When Anglo American sold Scorpion Zinc in 2010, we had no presence in Namibia except the Anglo American Namibia Foundation, which continued to add value to communities with connections to Scorpion. With the purchase of De Beers in 2012, Anglo American has returned to Namibia and continues to add more value to communities thought the foundation,” said Cook.
The overall objective of the science laboratory is to raise the level of competency of learners in science and provide a platform from where learners can further their studies in a science related field.
“We have organised over the years early childhood development initiatives like numeracy and literacy, which are the focus areas we would like to invest in to align with our core educational objectives, and one such example of education investment would be the mathematics project which was recently launched in Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz,” said Cook.
Recently, about 35 kindergarten teachers had the chance of undergoing seven weeks of basic early childhood development training sponsored by the foundation. Currently the foundation is investigating the possibility of a kindergarten facility in Area 7 in Lüderitz.