SWAKOPMUND
Rössing Uranium Limited and Areva Namibia have joined forces to launch a safety awareness campaign for learners in the Erongo Region.
The programme was launched here on Wednesday and is being carried out in conjunction with the regional Directorate of Education.
Speaking at the launch, Rössing Uranium Managing Director (MD) Werner Duvenhage said they aim to empower learners from an early age with skills to consider their own safety and the safety of those around them.
He said these safety behaviours could be practised at school, on the way from and to school, on playgrounds and at home.
“The idea is that if learners are exposed to safety awareness in small and progressively increasing quantities throughout their education, it will become part of their inherent behaviour as they become adults. There is no better way than educating a person while young,” he said.
At the launch, the two companies handed over teaching toolkits to the Director of Education in Erongo, John /Awaseb.
These will be distributed to 10 800 learners in Grades 1 to 3.
The programme will initially be rolled out to schools in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Arandis before the campaign moves on to schools across Erongo.
Through story-telling, puppet shows, songs, posters and talks, children will be taught about fire and water safety, road safety and rail safety during the campaign.
Other topics include the danger of playing at heights; safe handling of electricity; storage of hazardous chemicals at home; as well as risk assessment to enable them to identify dangerous situations. –
Nampa