Learners from Onambutu Combined School have built a traditional house inside the school premises, for culture and tradition lessons.
It also caters for tourists interested in the Oshiwambo culture.
The school has been offering culture and tradition education since 2011, with the aim of teaching and enabling learners to have a greater understanding of Aawambo culture and traditions, and to know how different medicine from plants and trees can treat various diseases.
This homestead has different traditional spaces and huts that serve as the welcoming area, kitchen, storeroom, mahangu pounding place and many more.
School principal Ester Mbango said the culture and tradition subject was brought up by the late education minister, Dr Abraham Iiyambo in 2011 as it is important for cultural awareness, and they decided to heed the call.
She told Youth Corner learners use the house when they do cultural dramas, as well as when they are taught to make marula oil, pound mahangu and other cultural activities.
Lessons are offered after school only, and no exams are written for the subject, however, learners are assessed on activities performed.
“I am therefore pleading with the education ministry to allow learners to write examinations of the cultural subject, so that their results can be displayed on their report cards,” said Mbango.
She stressed that this subject has changed the behaviour of learners, as they are taught more about the importance of moral values and respect.
“Everyone, including our leaders, learners from different schools, and tourists are all welcome to come and see the house,” said Mbango.
Furthermore, the school has a community hostel built with zinc sheets for some learners who live far from the school.
These hostel dwellers then use the traditional house to pound mahangu flour and make marula oil for their meals.
The Onambutu Combined School in Onambutu village is one of the best-performing schools in the Ohangwena region and has grades zero to 11, with 486 learners and 21 teachers.
Mbango urged teachers from other schools and parents to teach their children the importance of culture, for great cultural understanding.