African Child Development Trust launched

STAFF REPORTERWINDHOEKHundreds of thousands of learners are set to benefit from the newly-launched African Child Development Trust (ACDT), which is aimed at raising funds for the production and distribution of educational booklets for pre-primary to grade 3 learners for the next three years.The trust was launched last night in Windhoek.The initiative, which started as an emergency response during the pandemic, came into being in 2020 when Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) was entrusted with the roll-out of the first-ever national educational support study material during the Covid-19 lockdown.So far, 12 million booklets have been printed and distributed countrywide, a development made possible by the education ministry, Capricorn Foundation, Namibia Community Trust and Unicef, along with technical support by a dedicated team of teachers from various schools in Windhoek.Education minister Anna Nghipondoka is patron of the ACDT, an independent trust run by trustees.Last night Nghipondoka said: “On our call to the stakeholders and to our friends of education, when all our hands were tight; they came to the rescue of the ministry. These friends we proudly address today as Namibia Media Holdings, UNICEF, Amos Meerkat Syllabus, the schools, the Namibia Community Trust as well as our involved teachers who made it possible for the project to provide learning support material.”“This emergency response to Covid-19 lockdown started in 2020 in collaboration and in partnership with Namibia Media Holdings and UNICEF and continued in 2021.”In addition to the trustees, the project is run by a team of eight teachers, two senior education officers, 18 translators, two sign language teachers and two online school teachers. All content goes through a quality assurance process with officials from the National Institute for Educational Development. The booklets are translated into 12 languages - English, Afrikaans, German, Oshikwanyama, Oshindonga, Otjiherero, Khoekhoegowab, Rukwangali, Rumanyo, Thimbukushu, Silozi and sign language.“This project has given wings to our education system and allowed us to reach learners from all backgrounds in their mother tongue,” trustee Octavia Tsibes said.“We are passionate about education and its ability to uplift, empower, inspire and equip our learners to become strong leaders who are able to take their future in their own hands. This project is so much more than just booklets. It’s a mechanism for change, a tool to inspire and a way to take our country forward.”Long-term solutionsNMH CEO Albe Botha highlighted the need for long-term investment in the education sector.“Long-term investments in human capital development and not just in long-term capital development. It is time we find long-term solutions to education. Education that focuses on early childhood development and not just managing matric exam results,” he emphasised.Botha added: “It is time we help develop people from an early age”.“It’s time we challenge our concept of return on investment. Not every cent you spend will give you a benefit directly; sometimes the benefit will only come for your children or their grandchildren.“It is time we all take hands. Taking hands to find solutions to the challenges of this country and not just stating what the challenges are,” he said.“It is time we talk less. It is time we stop blame-shifting on free affordable education but make it a reality - one step at a time. One grade at a time,” Botha said.He highlighted that one booklet costs N$2.50 from development to print to delivery, adding that “it’s time we invest at the beginning”.“Fixing a challenge costs significantly more than investing in a solution from the beginning,” he said.

African Child Development Trust launched

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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African Child Development Trust launched

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-04

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