Mudge Trust builds private school at Etunda

The Dirk Mudge Trust has begun its construction of the Nakayale Private Adacemy, a boarding school offering primary education for children in the Omusati Region. Developed under the leadership of Chrisna Greeff, First Trustee of the Trust, the project aims to build a school complex that will comprise of eight classrooms, eight dormitories, a school hall, teachers’ accommodation, a kitchen, laundry facilities, sports fields and administration offices. By January 2016, the school, located at Etunda is planned to be operational an ready for its first learner intake, which will be for grades 0 to 2, with new intakes of grade 0 and 1 every year as the grades progress up to grade 7.

The trust aims to then construct a secondary school for grades 8 up to grade 12 on the same premises.  According to Greeff, learners selected for enrollment at Nakayale Private Academy will receive full scholarships, provision of school fees, accommodation, clothing, food and learning material. “Since the Dirk Mudge Trust sold its share in Democratic Media Holdings in 2012, and according to the objectives of the Trust, a decision was taken to commit the full proceeds of the sale to education for deserving underprivileged children and the development of surrounding communities,” said Greeff. The project has also been aided by the Government’s Etunda Agricultural Project, as well as a number of private individuals, who have agreed to assist with vegetable and crop production. “The main focus of the Trust will however be the construction and operation of the school,” said Greeff. The Chairperson of the Board of Governors of St Paul’s College, Chief Justice Peter Shivute,  will also assist the academy with its curriculum, the selection and training of teachers, criteria for selection of candidates and procurement of learning material. “In that area there are many underprivileged children who will benefit greatly from the educational opportunities being offered by the Nakayale Private Academy.  To make an investment in education is to make an investment in the nation and future generations. The standards being set at this school will become a benchmark for other schools in the area and a yardstick to measure their own performance against,” said Shivute, adding that “one does not have to come from a privileged background to make a success of one’s life”. Greeff stated that the community and neighbouring constituencies will be able to make use of the school facilities during school holidays for summer schools, seminars, adult and vocational training courses at the school’s state-of-the-art media centre. “The vision of the Trust is to create a facility that will serve as an example of educational excellence which can be duplicated in all the regions of Namibia by private initiatives,” said Greeff.