WINDHOEK – Deputy Minister of Education Silvia Makgone officially inaugurated the Fidel Castro Ruz Primary School in the Babylon informal settlement yesterday, on the day that the retired revolutionary Cuban leader celebrated his 87th birthday.
Attending the event was the acting Cuban Ambassador to Namibia Antonio Pubillones, who said naming schools after Fidel Castro would maintain the rich relations between Cubans and Namibians for generations to come. He further noted that the Cuban government would continue to build, develop and support the school, after he donated a cash amount of N$6000 to the school. The Fidel Castro Ruz Primary School was established in January 2008 and operated in tents for two years until 2010 when school buildings were completed. The school offers pre-primary school education up to Grade 6 and has a learner population of 1 063 and 37 staff members.
Makgone said five years is not a long period, but the achievements of Fidel Castro Ruz Primary School are worth celebrating as progress can already be observed in its first years of existence. “Five years should mean that you are growing and learning to become wiser and that the actions you are taking are those that will promote the good name of the school,” said the deputy education minister. “The people of Namibia are the most important resources of this country, and therefore the Government of Namibia considers investing in people and institutions to be the crucial precondition for the desired social and economic transformation,” Makgone said. She said the introduction of universal primary education added to the challenges already faced by the education ministry such as the shortage of teachers and classrooms, which lead to overcrowding in schools. “Each part of the community has a unique contribution to make. A close collaboration between our government and the private sector would make schools relevant to today’s economy and provide a link to the marketplace,” Makgone said.
Furthermore, it is through the active participation of the state, the churches, businesses and civil society that the school system produces well-rounded citizens. “Partnership in education does more than just expand delivery. It adds value as each stakeholder plays its part in the education system.”
Story by Loide Jason