ONGWEDIVA – Oshana director of education Hileni Amukana has said the Japanese embassy has shown its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which call for the implementation of inclusive, equitable quality education for everyone by 2030.
Amukana made this remark during a visit by the Japanese ambassador to Namibia, Hisao Nishimaki, to the Eluwa Resource School (ERS) on Wednesday.
Eluwa was one of many schools in Namibia to benefit from a Japanese government grant.
The school earlier this year received a new block, consisting of four permanent classrooms and one storeroom, valued at N$925 000. Established in 1974, Eluwa is one of only two government schools in the country that offers special education for the hearing impaired.
It currently has 194 students from pre-primary to grade 9, 30 teachers and 42 support staff members, including hostel matrons, cleaners, an administrative officer and a watchman.
Nishimaki, who arrived in the country earlier this year, is on a three-day tour to the Oshana and Ohangwena regions to access schools supported by Japan through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GAGHSP) and the Namibia Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agricultural projects in the two regions.
He is accompanied by embassy staff and JICA resident representative Takehiro Susaki.
“The construction of this high-valued infrastructure is an intervention to achieve the sustainable development goal four and its outcome-oriented targets, specifically to free primary and secondary education, equal access to quality pre-primary education, elimination of all disparities in education, universal literacy and numeracy for sustainable development,” Amukana said.
She said this in her speech, delivered on her behalf by her deputy Hilma Nuunyango-George.
Amukana thanked the Japanese government for developing quality, reliable sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
“This is the reflection of realising SDG 17 on strengthening the means of implementation and revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development,” she said.
Speaking at the same event, Oshana governor Elia Irimari said the presence of Nishimaki at the school represents government’s commitment to supporting the Namibian children through their education.
He also expressed his gratitude and humility for the gesture.
“You strongly believe in supporting the Namibian child through equitable quality education. I believe we should all share in for a brighter future for our country and the world at large,” Irimari said in a statement delivered by Ongwediva constituency councillor Andreas Utoni.
Ndinelao Nangolo, the acting principal of Eluwa, claimed the school receives a large volume of admissions applications, and that not all applicants are accepted.
On her part, Nangolo said she receives a large volume of applications and that not all applicants get admission.
“We need more classrooms to accommodate more learners,” said Ngangolo, while calling on other stakeholders to come on board.