George Sanzila
OVITOTO – The Speaker of the National Assembly, Professor Peter Katjavivi handed over a donation of school items to the learners of the K.J Kapeua Combined School in the Ovitoto area of the Otjozondjupa region yesterday.
The donation was made possible by the Chinese government through the China Foundation for Poverty Eradication and it consists of items such as school bags, basic stationery, art supplies, educational toys and miscellaneous supplies. Katjavivi is the patron of the school that has more than 600 learners.
The school located 40 kilometres east of Okahandja consists of San learners and is one of several schools that benefit from the recently launched Chinese philanthropy initiative for schools known as Panda Pack Project.
Namibia is the second country in Africa to benefit after similar supplies were donated through the largesse of the Chinese to schoolchildren in Ethiopia.
Handing over the donation, Katjavivi, who is also a native of the area and former learner of the school, emphasized the importance of education, noting that the donation has the potential to enhance quality learning and ultimately improve the performance of the school.
“The donation could not have come at a better time when the country is prioritizing education. Education contributes to economic and social development. Apart from benefiting our economy, it is also a conduit for self-development. It is the greatest equalizer and removes all barriers and has lifted millions of people out of poverty,” stated the former VC of Unam.
The speaker thanked the sponsors and pledged to monitor the performance of the school, urging learners to work hard in order to excel in their future endeavours.
“I would like to urge learners and teachers to embrace this donation and put it to good use. As patron, I will be personally monitoring the performance of the school and the better the performance, the more I would be enticed to lobby for more donations,” assured Katjavivi.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming noted that even though there are a myriad of challenges in the education fraternity, he was often fascinated by school infrastructural development initiatives undertaken by the government.
“I have travelled across the country as far as Impalila Island and I have seen that Namibia has built great schools. However, there are still challenges that we need to address and that’s why we thought as a friend we should join and help,” stated the Chinese ambassador.
Zhang in a spur of the moment pledged to donate 10 computers to be used to curtail the shortage of ICT facilities.