Lüderitz
Diaz Primary School raised over N$200 000 in pledges at a recent gala evening held at a local hotel at the coastal town of Lüderitz.
The gala dinner was held in honour of the school’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated under the theme, “50 years of building excellence on proud traditions”.
During the dinner CEO of Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) Isak Hamata, who also serves as the patron of Diaz Primary School, expressed his gratitude for being chosen as a patron of Diaz Primary.
Hamata spoke about the memories he holds of Diaz, where he got his foundation in education, as it is the school that he attended from 1977 to 1984.
Hamata said even though he is based in Windhoek due to work, his heart is always in Lüderitz. “Whenever I read the weather, I always read about the Lüderitz weather.”
Although he does not know for how long he will serve as patron of Diaz Primary Hamata says he feels a huge responsibility towards the school’s development.
He encouraged the principal and teachers to host a yearly fundraising event during the birthday celebration of the school.
The official opening of the Golden Jubilee anniversary took place on Friday June 10 at Diaz Primary.
In his keynote the director of education in the //Karas Region, Johannes //Hoeseb, said Diaz Primary School’s 50th year in existence is indeed a remarkable milestone and deserves to be celebrated in the most glamorous and elegant manner.
He applauded all stakeholders in the education sector, who honoured their corporate social responsibility commitments and pledged material, technical and financial support during the dinner towards Diaz in order to realise its noble mandate of providing quality education.
“It is only through a unified response of caring teachers, parents, guardians, caregivers, stakeholders in education, as well as those in the corporate world, that we can broaden equitable and inclusive access to quality education for all elligible children of schoolgoing age enrolled at Diaz Primary School,” //Hoeseb stated.
//Hoeseb emphasised that collective effort will guarantee a better future for the youth and emerging leaders. He advised schoolboard members, the principal and teachers to use the funds raised in a transparent and honest manner and for the intended purposes only.
He also encouraged all educational stakeholders to share their time and talents unconditionally, thereby contributing positively towards nation-building and economic growth that can transform the Republic of Namibia into a high-income country with a knowledge-based economy and social equity in all spheres.
A lack of classrooms in one of the challenges currently faced by Diaz, //Hoeseb said the Ministry of Education in the //Karas Regional Council is planning to soon build another primary school in
Lüderitz opposite the //Nami#nus Constituency Office.
Diaz started as a missionary school of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, later known as the Diaz Community School. It was inaugurated with 10 classrooms, one office and an ablution block for boys and girls.
Currently, the school offers tuition for grades 1 – 7 and has 27 classrooms accommodating 882 learners and 27 teachers.