Tsumeb, July 31– MTC in partnership with MVA today handed over eight classrooms, a lab and a storeroom built under the MTC Rural Schools Project. The infrastructure is funded to the tune of N$3.4 million.
Launched in 2019, the MTC Rural Schools Project is a CSI initiative aimed to assist the government in improving sub-par learning environments to standardise education practices countrywide. Schools with dilapidated or non-existent structures are renovated and, in most cases, new classroom blocks are added.
Since its launch in 2019, the project has thus far built a total of 49 classrooms. The regions that have benefited from the project are Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Oshana, Hardap, Karas, Kavango West, Zambezi, Ohangwena and now Oshikoto region, respectively.
The collaboration between MTC and MVA Fund to assist the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in ensuring that the education journey for the Namibian child is carried out with dignity by creating an acceptable learning environment.
School principal Petrina Shafewa expressed her gratitude, saying “…the school has 992 learners and had few classrooms which resulted in overcrowding – not favourable for teaching and learning. We really had a problem because we have so many learners, yet the classrooms were few. We are therefore grateful to MTC and MVA Fund for aiding us with much needed infrastructure.”
Speaking at the event, while applauding MTC and MVA Fund, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Nghipondoka expressed “the impact of this donation extends far beyond the walls of Tsumeb Primary School. It resonates throughout the community, the region, and indeed, the entire country. By enhancing educational infrastructure, we are investing in the future of Namibia—ensuring that our children have the tools and environment needed to excel, academically and socially. Equally, the Ministry is ardently working to address the infrastructural backlog of over 3000 classrooms and other essential educational facilities.”
In her remarks delivered on her behalf, MVA Fund Chief Executive Officer, Rosalia Hausiku, said “as a responsible corporate citizen, the Fund has taken the position of smart partnerships to drive our mission and vision to impact people. Hence, our teaming up with MTC who has been doing great work in this sphere for some time. Education is not the sole mandate of the government; it is the business for all. It is everyone’s duty to help the country achieve the highest standards of education. The MVA Fund is thus proud to be investing in a meaningful project such as this.”
In addition to Tsumeb Primary School, the two parties have further committed to construct classrooms and storeroom facilities towards Zadan Primary School in the Kavango-East Region still to be finalised this year.
MTC’s Chief Human Capital, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, Tim Ekandjo, called on other booming financial sectors within the Namibian economy to make their corporate social responsibilities visible and known to the public. Addressing national challenges as collective, Ekandjo called upon both private and public sectors to collaborate in addressing challenges in the education and housing sector, and to address poverty.
“I call upon those who are making large profits in the fishing sector to take even 1% of the income generated from their large fishing quotas and plough that back into the Namibian education sector. Push it forward. Education is a responsibility that we all carry as a nation and the issue of education is an issue of every corporate entity.”
African Youth Newspaper
