Education ministry builds school, four hostels

Education minister Anna Nghipondoka has revealed the completion of a primary school in Otavi and a school hall and kitchen at Tsaraxa-Aibes Primary School in Otjiwarongo. Other completed projects are four school hostels in the Kavango West Region (Satotwa and Simanya combined schools) and Zambezi Region (Liselo and Masokotwani combined schools).“The project was completed with grant support from the government of China, to whom I would like to say thank you very much for this uniquely kind gesture,” Nghipondoka said last week during her budget motivation for the 2024/25 financial year.According to her, the ministry has constructed a record number of 510 classrooms and 70 ablution facilities through a procurement agreement with August 26 Construction during the 2023/24 financial year.She highlighted that the provision of a conducive teaching and learning environment is vital to the attainment of positive education results. “For this reason, the ministry continues to invest significantly in the rehabilitation and development of physical education facilities countrywide.“Emergency classroom construction is part of an exemption authorisation granted by the minister of finance and public enterprises. I am pleased to share that this is the first time the ministry has managed to construct so many classrooms in a single financial year,” she said.Nghipondoka added: “The timely completion of the construction of these classrooms has eased the recurrent learner enrolment woes for mainly pre-primary, grade one and grade eight when schools reopened in January for the 2024 academic year”.More classroomsShe further noted that - given the success of the ministry’s engagement with August 26 Construction and the persisting need for additional classrooms in various regions - the construction of 512 classrooms has been launched, under the same arrangement. “It is hoped that while the burden of classroom shortage will be reduced, access to education for the Namibian child will significantly improve in the current and subsequent years.Meanwhile, Nghipondoka highlighted that the provision of food to schools, in terms of the school feeding programme and hostel food supplies, is one of the ministry’s main cost drivers.“Nonetheless, the provision of mid-morning maize meal to 468 000 learners at primary schools will continue as a vital school attraction and retention mechanism for learners, ensuring that they enrol and remain in school. For this purpose, an allocation of N$123 097 000 has been set aside,” she said.“In 2021, the ministry introduced a school feeding programme at 29 schools in seven regions, and we are planning to strengthen and expand this programme to more schools across the country, she said.nikanor@erongo.com.na

Education ministry builds school, four hostels

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-19

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Education ministry builds school, four hostels

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-19

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