2018-06-27Staff Report 2 Selma Shiwaya WINDHOEK - Learners of the Okakarara Senior Secondary School welcomed the N$54,000 pledge by the Ovaherero Traditional Authority. The money donated last week, will be given to top performers in Grade 10,11 and 12 at the school after the year-end examinations this year. Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero, Vekuii Rukoro made the donation when he visited Vergenoeg to motivate the learners last week. The school has this year registered 200 learners in Grade 10,11 and 12, and the best three from each of the three grades will receive a share of the total amount pledged. This is based on their final examination results. The overall best learner in Grade 10 will receive N$6000, second N$4000 and third N$2000. The overall best learner in Grade 11 will receive N$8000, second N$6000 and third N$4000. The 12th grade best learner shall receive a bull or cow of their choice plus N$10,000, second N$8000 and third N$6000. Uiiue Tjerije, a Grade 10 learner, says awards are a good way of encouraging them to study hard and yield better results. Lilia Mwambu, Grade 11, expects the awards to greatly improve the academic performances at the school for the first time. “It is a very good idea and we appreciate it so much because apart from attaining better results, the incentive will also help us afford our necessities.” A Grade 12 learner, Vejarukapo Muikute, who aspires to study veterinary science next year, says she is determined to work hard, not because of the incentive but especially because she wants to be someone in life. “The pledge will really motivate us to study hard. In fact, I feel that we are fortunate enough to be led by dedicated leaders like the Paramount Chief himself,” said Muikute. Spokesperson of the OTA Uazuva Kaumbi, affirms that they deem it necessary to incentivise the learners with the pledge and reach out to the community by reinvesting in the youth. “There are many schools that are not performing well in our communities and we found this as a way of encouragement towards the learners,” he said, adding that the incentives will help learners with their school necessities or even pay for tertiary registrations for those in Grade 12. “That is a thought of encouragement to the learners. Our school has been performing poorly, therefore, I believe that this will help them to work hard and improve,” school principal Eliah Nguarambuka added. He indicated that this shows that parents are committed to their children’s education. “Parents give cattle to the OTA, and the OTA in return ploughs back into the community,” he explained. Over the past years, the Okakarara School has not been yielding positive results. In 2017, only five learners out of 165, who registered for Grade 12 qualified for entry into institutions of tertiary education. The school was ranked 3rd in the region last year, with a 17 percent pass rate in Grade 10. 2018-06-27Staff Report 2
