By Petronella Sibeene
WINDHOEK
The myth that science-related subjects are too heavy for a girl child to handle at school was recently dispelled when 18-year-old Aune Naita Seketa was awarded the first-ever De Beers Marine Namibia Diamond Award for Science.
She was born in a small town of Rundu a year before Namibia attained independence.
Inspired by her parents, who are both medical practitioners, Seketa knew that one day she will follow in her parents’ footsteps.
Powered by intelligence and zeal, the girl says from the early days at school, she always came out tops in class.
“I started my school at Noodegrens Secondary School. While I was there I was awarded best learner in grades 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and from Grade 5 to 7, I was the best learner in the three grades,” says Seketa.
Before she entered high school, she told her parents she wanted to become a medical doctor. However, because her school did not offer Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations that are recognised for acceptance into universities around the world, the girl had to transfer to another school that met her requirements.
She left Noodegrens and transferred to Saint Boniface, a Catholic school located about 30 km east of Rundu.
Leaving her family behind in search of her dream was not that difficult for her.
“I enjoyed myself when I was at St Boniface. We were taught discipline and we concentrated on our studies,” she says.
By the time she was in Grade 10, she scored 42 points in all subjects that included English, Biology, Mathematics, Physical Science, Geography and History.
“I have great interest in human anatomy,” Seketa says.
With such determination, Seketa’s drive to make her dream a reality one day was noticed by De Beers Marine Namibia this year.
She narrates: “Sometime in September during examinations, the principal of the school called six of us and we were told that people from De Beers Marine wanted to interview us for the diamond award.”
In a competition of three boys and three girls, Seketa came out tops.
“I was called to come to Windhoek for a one-on-one interview and last Monday I was told that I got the scholarship to study Bio-Medical Science at the Polytechnic of Namibia,” she said.
She does, however, intend to do her full course that would qualify her to become a doctor/surgeon in Namibia.
Initially, she had applied at one of the universities in South Africa but her application was not successful due to limited space.
Come next year, she intends to study at the Polytechnic of Namibia for a year in Bio-Medical Science, a course she says will lay the foundation for her career.
At a glamorous event held last Thursday, Seketa was announced the first winner of the De Beers Marine Namibia Diamond Award.
The Diamond Award for Science was launched early this year as a sign of De Beers Marine Namibia’s commitment and contribution to the Government’s Vision 2030 initiative.
Vision 2030’s key aspiration is to rapidly transform the country into a high income, more equitable and knowledge-based economy. It aims to develop and produce qualified young scientists, geologists, engineers, metallurgists and other scientists.
The Government recognises that research, science and technology are a key component of the knowledge economy and systematic approach to knowledge and technology development. As such, in 2004, the Government enacted the Research, Science and Technology Act, whose main objective is to restructure and strengthen research and technology in the country.
In 2005, Seketa ranked third on a list of 31ǟ