No more platoon schools – Namport commits more funding for classrooms
The Chief Executive of the Namibian Ports Authority, Mr Bisey /Uirab announced earlier this week that a further N$610,000 has been committed to the construction of four Module 4 classrooms at a project school in Walvis Bay. The funding is channelled through the Namport Social Investment Fund.
/Uirab spoke at the tenth anniversary of the fund held on Tuesday in Walvis Bay to highlight its social involvement since 2006, and to launch the fund’s new logo as part of its rebranding to reflect its key role in social investment.
The new round of funding is earmarked for a project school in the schoolyard of Immanuel Ruiters Primary School in Kuisebmond.
“It is my sincere hope that this is just the first step of many efforts to create the much needed capacity to accommodate more learners in the mornings, rather than for the young Namibian child to wait until 13:00 to go school due to space limitations at our schools. We will work with the said school to implement this project as soon as possible” stated /Uirab
“We are confident that this investment is one such initiative to completely do away with the current Platoon education system, as alluded to by the Inspector of Education, in the Erongo Directorate of Education, Walvis Bay Circuit, Madam Monica Gawises” he added.
Since the fund was incorporated in 2006, it has received N$25 million of which more than N$20 million has been spent on community projects with an additional N$380,895 pledged to similar projects. “We equally support all initiatives to uplift the quality of education through sponsoring the construction of classrooms and school halls as well as much needed learning instruments” he said.
The Namport Social Investment Fund assists Entrepreneurial and SME development, it supports primary health care projects, it promotes environmental stewardship, and it supports all categories of education by providing and improving infrastructure and by focussing on the quality of tuition, especially mathematics and science.
/Uirab also pointed out that more than thirty students are currently studying at tertiary institutions with the financial support of the Namport Bursaries and Study Assistance schemes for all its employees and young committed matriculants.
In addition, in 2015 Namport introduced the “Catch them Young” programme attracting children from previously disadvantaged and marginalized groups to enable them to attend schools offering maritime subjects. “We currently have six students in a specialised maritime school in Cape Town and three others are at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology after completing their high school in maritime studies” he said.
Mrs Adelaide Kandjala, Special Advisor to the Governor, said on behalf of Erongo Governor, Hon. Cleophas Mutjavikua, “Over the past 10 years the NSIF has spent 39% of their budget in the Erongo region for Corporate Social Investment initiatives. I have engaged the communities in the region and the good that Namport has done is praised in the streets. The fund has made a difference in the lives of the most disadvantaged in the region and the people sing its praises and everyone wants to work at Namport. This institution has made a mark in everyone’s minds and hearts.”
Pictured is the school choir of !Nara Primary School in Walvis Bay who entertained the guests at the anniversary celebrations.
