MTC Namibia and the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund have built 61 classrooms across Namibia as the two institutions expand efforts to address infrastructure shortages at rural schools.
The latest phase saw three schools in the Erongo Region receive six new classrooms, storerooms and renovations to existing structures at a combined cost of N$3.2 million.
The beneficiaries are Okongue Primary School in the Daures Constituency, JP Brandt Primary School in Utuseb and !Oe #Gab Primary School in Tubusis, with each school receiving a block of two classrooms and a storeroom under the MTC Rural Schools Project.
MTC Chief Brand, Marketing, Communications and Sustainability Officer Tim Ekandjo said Namibia continues to face a significant classroom shortage and called for more companies to contribute towards addressing the infrastructure gap.
“With a significant classroom shortfall across the country, we need more corporate partnerships to support Government in addressing this national challenge,” Ekandjo said.
“In partnership with the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, we have built 61 classrooms nationwide. As the project continues, we call on other corporates to join us because, collectively, we can make a greater impact.”
The latest facilities were officially handed over at Okongue Primary School in the Daures Constituency on Tuesday.
The MVA Fund contributed N$1 million towards the construction of classroom blocks and storerooms at the three schools.
MVA Fund Chief Corporate Affairs John Haufiku said education remains one of the Fund’s corporate social investment focus areas despite its primary mandate being road crash prevention and support for people affected by crashes.
“We are proud to have contributed N$1 million towards classroom blocks and storerooms at three schools in the Erongo Region, an investment not only in infrastructure, but also in the potential of Namibian learners, wherever they live,” Haufiku said.
Erongo Governor Nathalia /Goagoses said private-sector partnerships were increasingly important in supplementing government efforts to improve education infrastructure.
“While Government provides leadership, policy direction and resources, strong partnerships with the private sector, communities and other stakeholders enable us to achieve greater impact,” she said.
The infrastructure investment addresses immediate shortages at the beneficiary schools. Okongue Primary School Principal Jossel Hindjou said the school had previously faced a serious shortage of classrooms and lacked a staff room.
“We faced a serious shortage of classrooms, and as teachers, we did not have a staff room. That is now history, thanks to MTC and the MVA Fund,” Hindjou said.
