Staff Reporter
Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb recently presented 880 Cadbury PS chocolates to learners from all 11 schools in the Tsumeb district for academic excellence and good behaviour on April. The unorthodox gesture is one of the company’s ways of motivating learners to do better in school.
Four chocolate bars were handed to 20 learners from each school. In an effort to improve the quality of education and motivate learners in Tsumeb to do their part in increasing the percentage of Grade 10 and 12 learners achieving a pass mark of 24 and 30, respectively, and a passing symbol of E in English from 55 percent to 60 percent in year two of Harambee.
Motivating learners to strive for academic excellence will have lasting positive long-term benefits for the country at large. According to the Harambee Prosperity Plan one of the factors hampering the country’s economic competitiveness is an inadequately educated workforce.
A solution highlighted was an improvement on productivity levels through strengthening educational institutions and harnessing technology. These, according to President Hage Geingob, will enable self-governing when the time arrives.
St Francis Primary School Acting Principal Hoa-Khaos Maria Petronella commended Dundee for the gesture. “It is a pleasant surprise and although small this matters towards motivating our learners,” she said.
Opawa Junior Secondary School Principal Hermien Benjamin was also thrilled with the gesture. The learners each received four chocolates and had a chance to share some with peers, teachers and their families.