NCS investing in schools – investing in the future

NAMIBIAN Custom Smelters showed their commitment to the education sector through the donation of 10 desktop computers worth N$50 000 in support of the Otjikoto Senior Secondary School’s computer literacy programme.

The Managing Director of Namibian Custom Smelters (NCS), Hans Nolte, said NCS recognises and values the importance of Tsumeb’s educational programmes and is therefore devoted to being a partner in enriching educational facilities, such as the Otjikoto Senior Secondary School. Describing Prime Minister Nahas Angula’s recent donation of a computer to the Uukumwe Combined School in Oshivelo as an act of nation-building, Nolte said it is the responsibility of each and every corporate entity to emulate Angula’s example by providing support where it’s needed, especially in the communities where they do business.

NCS was approached by the school with a request for financial assistance, highlighting the need to acquire new computers to restore the school’s ability to offer keyboard and word-processing lessons. The lessons were discontinued last year when its existing 20 computers, donated in 2007 by a volunteer from the Netherlands, became damaged and irreparable. Nolte decided to donate ten new computers to the school so that computer literacy lessons could be revived and the syllabuses could be covered before year-end examinations.

The school itself has raised N$10 000 to purchase several more computers to keep the computer classes going and accommodate the burgeoning number of learners who want to know how to use a computer. Approximately 100 learners out of 732 at the school are registered for these lessons Since being taken over by Dundee Precious Metals in April last year, NCS has shown its commitment to the education sector in Tsumeb through a donation of N$45 000 to the Ondundu Primary School for desks and chairs for students, teachers and administrative staff. NCS also donated N$8 000 to Francis Galton Primary School for chairs for the new school hall, the smelter paid school and exam fees for orphaned children living at the Hope Centre in Tsumeb and committed to spend N$400 000 to upgrade J.P. Ratledge Sports Stadium, which is used by all nine schools in Tsumeb for sporting and other events. Prior to the donation ceremony, Nolte visited the offices of the Tsumeb Health District to hand over a cheque for N$2 500 in support of upcoming TB Day activities on 17 March.

He later donated two overhead projectors to the Nomtsoub Primary School to boost the school’s visual teaching capacity.

click to enlarge GETTING TO THE IT AGE: Namibia Custom Smelters has donated 10 desktop computers to the Otjikoto Senior Secondary School in Tsumeb. (From left) Andris Kaishungu, the principal of Etosha Secondary School, Heleni Shingo, representing the principal of Otjikoto Senior Secondary School, Lot Muteka, and Managing Director of NCS, Hans Nolte. © Photo: Contributed