Okonduanue learners welcome MTC donated classrooms.

Opuwo, Nov 20 – The Thursday morning at Okondaunue Primary School in Opuwo
started off with jubilation as the school learners bid farewell to leaning in tents to new classrooms
courtesy of a donation by leading telco MTC in collaboration with the ‘Friend of Education’ under the
guidance of the Education Ministry.

“Blessed are those who help others and today is a very special day for us the learners. We were in dire
need of the proper classes because some grades were taught under trees, tends and classes made out
of corrugated iron sheets in this heat. It is indeed a relief that we now have proper learning
environments and we cannot thank MTC enough for the gesture,” said Gift Tomona, a learner at the
school.
“Wind rain and cold has nothing on us now. Today MTC stands for “Make The Change” for they have
brought us change. From the olden day telephone to today’s smart phone. MTC has brought us change
from being taught under trees to being taught in proper classrooms. We thank you and remain blessed,” said another 15-year-old Lucia Mwatilevi.
This is part of a MTC inspired initiative, the MTC Rural Schools Project, which answers to the call to
dilapidated schools that lack decent structures or have none at all. In partnership with the Ministry of
Education, Arts & Culture, the objective is aimed at rural schools to either build new classrooms or
renovate existing classrooms which are decrepit to ensure that the Namibian child learns in a conducive and safe environment.
Launched in July this year, the project identified Okondaunue Primary School in the Kunene Region
and the Sinzogoro Combined School in Kavango West to be the first beneficiary of the project.

The block of classrooms at Sinzongoro were inaugurated and handed over on 29 October 2020.
Well aware for the status quo and the dire assistance the education fraternity needs, MTC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Licky Erastus said the telco stands united in the vision of ensuring that every
Namibian child is taught under a decent classroom, adding that MTC is proud to be delivering on its promise.
“We are pleased to officially handover this block of classrooms that we promised you exactly 3 months ago. We made a commitment through the MTC Rural Schools Project to build four blocks of
classrooms for two different schools in two different regions. We are here to deliver on our promise,
because when we make commitments at MTC we deliver,” said Erastus.
This property now belongs to Okondaunue Primary School and all we want in return is to see students get even better results. We urge you to take your studies seriously because not only are you the future,
but the future of this country also belong to you. We encourage you to take up your rightful place in society and empower yourself with education, because nobody can ever take that away from you,”
Erastus added.

Expressing gratitude and calling on the fraternity ground soldiers to fast track projects in the region, Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Nghipondoka praised the collaboration between stakeholders in education.
“The novelty of the ‘Friends of Education’ concept is that together, as a Namibian nation living under
the same house, exposed to the same hardships and challenges, should not allow the Ministry, and in particular the Namibian Government, to venture alone on the long and expensive journey of providing quality and equitable education to the Namibian child and adults alike. In that way, all learners can
benefit from the wonders and positive ambience of conducive classrooms and the generosity of our
strategic and developmental partners like MTC Namibia,” said the minister.
Narrating the history of the school, school principal Rosa Tjeundo said with a headcount of 817 learners at the school, teaching was a challenge but the burden has now been eased by the classroom
donation.
“Thank you to MTC for the donation. You continue to give back to the community even in areas that are not within your operation scope. Although the classrooms have eased the burden in learning, we
still need more classrooms with the high number of learners,” said the principal.
Sinzongoro and Okondaunue schools are both built at a combined cost of N$1.6 Million.

Robert Maseka mrobert@namibiadailynews.info