SESHEKE – The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka has been made the patron of Sesheke Senior Secondary School in the newly renamed Zambezi Region.
The school which was recently upgraded to a senior secondary school is situated in the Kongola constituency approximately 115 kilometres west of Katima Mulilo. It is one of the best performing schools in the region. Accepting the honour and responsibility Sioka urged learners to take education seriously and discouraged them from engaging in unscrupulous behaviour, such as teenage pregnancies and alcohol and drug abuse. “Education is the key to everything. Once you are educated all your problems will be solved. You are leaders of tomorrow, you have to be educated.
As the patron I will not tolerate bad behaviours such as falling pregnant and drug and alcohol abuse,” said Sioka. Sioka further urged parents to get more involved in the education of their children and lambasted those that spend their time drinking rather than to support their children. “Parents have to invest in their children, don’t get tired. These kids are like diamonds. Most of the parents spend much of their time on alcohol. Stop that and start spending time with your children,” appealed Sioka. She was also not happy that corporate responsibility was lacking in the region, adding business people need to do more instead of waiting for government. “Business people here are not doing enough. They are just waiting for the government to do everything. The way I left this school in 1975 is almost still the same. Let’s not wait for government.”
Sioka, who is a native of the Zambezi Region, used the same platform to take a swipe at those that are opposed to the name change, saying such people suffer from an identity crisis. “For those that are against the name change, all I can say is that they are confused. We are not related to the Germans. They brought nothing here but war. Caprivi is a colonial name, Schuckmansburg too. Our old people can’t even pronounce it. Shame on those who want the name Caprivi. Are we not eating fish and drinking water from the Zambezi? We should be united and promote the name Zambezi, because that is our identity.” Sioka also paraded two elderly war veterans, whom she said played a great role in help youngsters, including herself during the dark days of apartheid. “These are the people who took care of us, who fed us. In 1968 it was a tough time when we started going into exile. Just last week we received some people from Zambia, Namibians who were born there from exiled parents,” she said in reference to Sesheke’s involvement in Namibia’s liberation struggle.
Kongola constituency councillor David Muluti, who was pleased with the promotion of the school to senior secondary status, promised that the school, which has been without a fence for a long time would soon receive one. “I want to thank the regional director of education for promoting the Sesheke Combined School to a senior secondary [school]. The school will soon be fenced in, in order to improve security,” promised Muluti. Sioka also handed over a cheque of N$7000 to the school on behalf of the Social Security Commission (SSC).
By George Sanzila