Japanese funds expand Nara Primary

At a handover ceremony in June, teachers, learners and parents of Nara Primary School in Walvis Bay became the proud recipients of a school terrain extensively upgraded and improved by the Japanese government through its embassy in South Africa.
Catering for the children of Tutaleni in Kuisebmund, this primary school’s facilities have become inadequate as the number of learners steadily grew. The school’s educational environment was improved considerably by the Embassy of Japan through its programme of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects. The embassy provided funding to build five more classrooms and two store rooms.
The handover ceremony was attended by Mr Shinichi Asazuma, Minister of the Embassy of Japan and Mr Tomohide Yamada, First Secretary, Mr. Benson Uakumbua, Deputy Mayor of Walvis Bay, Ms. Elina Manga, a Deputy Director of Education, members of the school’s management committee, other officials of the Ministry of Education, and by many members of the local community.
The Government of Japan decided to support this school through a grant amounting to approximately N$1,23 million for the construction of the classrooms, the store rooms and to buy more desks.

As more people come to Walvis Bay seeking work, the school’s number of learners has increased over the past few years to about one thousand. The Japanese Embassy in Pretoria said its grant to Nara Primary School will contribute tremendously towards achieving the goal of access to education by more learners.
The embassy said “education and economic empowerment are some of the priority areas for the Government of Japan in its extension of GGP assistance to Namibia. The GPP is intended to assist NGOs and local authorities to address development needs in a prompt and comprehensive manner in areas such as education, health, water supply, climate change and in a variety of other local needs. The GGP scheme was first introduced in 1989, and prioritizes human security for vulnerable and marginalised people within society. Since 1997, the Embassy of Japan has supported local authorities and NGOs in Namibia with over 38 projects. In the Japanese Fiscal Year 2013 (April 2013 to March 2014) the Embassy of Japan extended GGP assistance to three projects amounting to approximately N$3.2 million.”