By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
The 30th anniversary celebrations of the first-ever secondary school in Katutura, Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School, kicked off in the capital yesterday.
The celebrations serve as a reunion for former students and teachers
Yesterday’s activities included the launching of the school’s alumni association, which is open to all former students, teachers and workers. A proposed constitution of the association was also adopted at the inaugural meeting.
Today’s events start at 11h30 with an address by Prime Minister, Nahas Angula, while tomorrow’s activities will start with a Big Walk March through Katutura as a way to express gratitude to residents for the 30 years of support. A Family Fun Day extravaganza follows at the school and later in the evening, a Miss Shifidi pageant.
On Sunday at 14h00 an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Church Service will be conducted in the School Hall to conclude the celebrations and will be led by former students and teachers that are now spiritual leaders to pay tribute to former students, teachers, workers and school committee/school board members that have died.
A wreath will be laid at the grave of late Immanuel Shifidi before the church service.
Immanuel Shifidi was one of Namibia’s heroes who spent many years on Robben Island together with other struggle icons like Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Nelson Madiba Mandela. The school has been named in his honour.
Started in 1977, Immanuel Shifidi, which was previously Katutura Secondary School was at the forefront of student resistance during Namibia’s long and bitter struggle for independence.
Many student leaders and teachers from the school were harassed, detained and tortured especially in the 1980’s, while the Namibian National Students Organisation branch at the school was one of the most active and leading branches in the country that spearheaded major student uprisings in 1988 against the militarisation of education by the South African colonial government.
The school has contributed enormously towards the socio-economic development of Katutura and has outstanding records of performance in sport, cultural renewal and addressing social challenges such as drugs and alcohol abuse, AIDS and crime facing township residents.
Some of its graduates are now at the forefront of the country’s socio-economic development initiatives and providing leadership in private, public and civil society.