Lüderitz launches first AI tutoring labs

The ||Kharas region has become the first to launch two dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring laboratories at Angra Pequena Senior Secondary School in Lüderitz.

The labs were officially launched last week as part of a project supported by BW Kudu, a BW Energy company, and Namport.

"This is a significant achievement for Lüderitz and for the ||Kharas region, and it shows what can happen when education, public leadership and responsible business partnership work together," ||Kharas governor Dawid Gertze said.

BW Kudu invested N$900 000 and Namport N$250 000.

The funding was used to equip the laboratories, support teacher training and provide an after-school study programme with meals.

Twenty teachers at the school now have access to teaching-assistant support, while all 436 learners can access personalised tutoring.

Vitalis Haupindi, co-founder and chief executive of YYeni AI, explained that the BW Kudu Lab and Namport Lab provide learners with a supervised environment in which to practise, receive immediate feedback and work through areas they do not understand.

Haupindi said the programme had been operating ahead of the official launch, allowing teachers and learners to incorporate the tutoring sessions into their daily school routines. “The Lüderitz deployment forms part of Project Aristotle, YYeni AI’s programme to extend the model to six government secondary schools in the ||Kharas region in 2027 and 120 government secondary schools by 2033. Further expansion will depend on funding and agreements with the relevant institutions," he said.

Gertze also encouraged schools, parents and learners to promote the responsible and educational use of AI. “It should make learners think, practise, correct themselves and understand, not do the thinking for them,” Gertze said.

The future of the ||Kharas region is closely linked to opportunities emerging along the coast, including green hydrogen, oil and gas and port-related development, the governor said.

“These industries would require strong mathematics, physics, English and technical skills. Preparation begins in the classroom.”

BW Kudu general manager Manfriedt Muundjua said the project counts among the company’s significant investments in Namibia. “Writing a cheque is easy. Creating lasting impact is more difficult. We therefore approached this not as a donation but as an investment,” Muundjua said.

He said the project’s locally developed model was one of its attractions, with young Namibians who had recently been through the school system involved in identifying challenges and developing solutions. “This project was designed to improve learning outcomes, support teachers and create sustainable access to educational tools,” he said.