Platoon system era ends at Moses //Garoëb Primary School – new school block handed over
By Natasha Jacha
The Ambassador of Japan, H.E Hideaki Harada, this week officially handed over a new school block which was funded by the government through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) to the Moses //Garoëb Primary School.
The new school block was officially handed over to the Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Hon. Katrina Hanse-Himarwa who represented the teachers and learners of the primary School.
With the introduction of free primary education from 2013 it dramatically increased the enrolment, and with the efforts of accommodating all learners, the school was forced to follow the platoon (double session) system, sacrificing quality education.
The government of Japan then intervened and extended a grant of N$833,597.20 which was used to build a new school block consisting of four permanent classrooms and one store room.
According to Hanse-Himarwa the new block will benefit 154 learners in grade 3 who had been attending the afternoon session.
“The handover of the new school block marked the last day of the platoon system and all the learners now attend in the morning session under more conducive educational environment,” she added.
Meanwhile, with education being one of the government of Japan’s big priority in its extension of grant assistance project to Namibia, it brings about direct and immediate impact on the well-being of disadvantaged communities at a grass-roots level by supporting relatively small development projects in areas of local needs such as education, agriculture, health, to be implemented by Non-Profit Organisations and local authorities.
Japan has been implementing the project in Namibia since 1997 and 54 projects have been supported, amounting to approximately N$37.5 million.
Caption: Ribbon Cutting of the new school block by H.E Mr. Hideaki Harada, Ambassador of Japan, Hon. Ms. Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, and Hon. Ms. Laura McLeod-Katjirua, Governor of the Khomas Region (from the right).
