Onembaba school celebrates 70th anniversary in style

ONEMBABA, 22 JUL  – Onembaba Combined School (CS) of the Okalongo Education Circuit in the Omusati Region on Saturday celebrated its 70th anniversary, which coincided with both the former teachers and learners’ reunion and fundraising.
Situated a few kilometres from the Namibia-Angola border, Onembaba CS was established by the late Lucas Haimbodi Mungolo in 1948.
The celebration event heard from the current principal, Rauha Haipinge, that Mungolo started the school by offering religious education and writing and reading classes to local pupils under a tree.
The government constructed a better building at Onembaba in 1967, after taking over the school in 1965 with a population of 50 learners in Sub A and 34 learners in Sub B.
This followed the appointment of additional teachers, Eunike Kwedhi, Rauna Shikongo and Ottilie Levi, between 1955 and 1964.
Onembaba this year has a population of close to 600 learners from pre-primary to Grade 10, 23 teachers, a secretary and two cleaners.
“I urge each and every one present here today to get involved and support the school in whatever way that you can,” Deputy Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka mentioned whilst officiating at the anniversary celebrations.
Nghipondoka at the same time urged Onembaba’s former teachers and learners to encourage current learners to engage themselves fully in what the school has to offer.
“The same applies to the parents of these learners. You will find that the more you are involved in your children’s school affairs, the more they will be involved,” she said, adding that the government can do so much, but in the end it is up to the stakeholders to make a difference.
Special Advisor to Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, Mukwaita Shanyengana, who is the patron of Onembaba CS, called on teachers and all stakeholders to ensure that the school becomes number one in terms of academic performance in the country.
Shanyengana used the same platform to donate N.dollars 17 000, boxes of books, soccer and netball balls, and also told those present that the Chinese Embassy in Windhoek has promised to donate three computers to the school.
The anniversary was further celebrated with the hosting of sports activities in the form of soccer and netball.

NAMPA