WINDHOEK- The newly built N$900 000 Basketball Artists School (BAS) was officially inaugurated over the weekend in Windhoek by the Director of Sports Dr Vetumbuavi Veii and German Ambassador Onno Hückmann.
The German Embassy and various private German donors funded the construction of BAS, which aims to empower and develop less privileged children to attain better perspectives in life through education and basketball. BAS will provide daily afterschool academic tutoring, life skills and basketball training and practice.
The school will operate daily starting at 12h00 to 17h00 and will offer lunch to the students before they start their training.
Frank Albin, the BAS head coach said the centre currently has 40 students of whom 20 are juniors from Primary school in Grade 5 and 7, while the other 20 are seniors from Grade 8 and upwards.
“We enrol artists who are doing well in school and those that are disadvantaged but most of all those that have basketball skills that is why our enrolling requirement starts with Grade 5 learners so that they can grow with us and join the senior team with no hardships.”
Veii took the floor to warn the youngsters not to vandalise the building and to use the facilities in a proper manner so that the building can last longer. “ When you leave the place make sure the lights are off and that all taps are closed to avoid unwarranted high electricity and water bills,” said Veii.
Weavers Junior Basketball team from Rehoboth and Highlands Basketball team from Windhoek were among those that attended the inauguration ceremony.