Back to school campaign launched
The Deputy Minister for Marginalised People in the Office of the President, Johan Kxao /Ui/o/oo has launched the 'Back to School and Stay in School' campaign targeting learners who come from the marginalised communities of the San, Ovatue and Ovatjimba people this week.
During the press briefing, /Ui/o/oo said the campaign is an integral part of the reintegration of marginalised communities into formal education and pleaded with the private sector to invest in the campaign.
“To achieve the objective of reintegrating learners from marginalised communities into education we need to bring the private sector on board and we must also meet the government halfway,” said /Ui/o/oo.
The campaign will kick-start on 10 June and run until 25 June with a nationwide tour of different schools. The education ambassador, musician Lazarus Shiimi, popularly known as Gazza, will also be part of the campaign to motivate and entertain the learners. Shiimi said the campaign is an important development for the marginalised communities while preserving their traditional practices.
“We are not saying we want to kill our traditional practices, we are saying we want to coexist with development,” said Shiimi.
Gerson Kamatuka, a deputy director in the Office of the President for the San division said, the 'Back to School and Stay in School campaign' has so far sponsored and assisted 120 students at the Namibia University of Science Technology (Nust), 33 students from the International University of Management (IUM) and 122 students across Vocational Training Centres (VTC) all over the country.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), there were 103 768 children out of school in Namibia in 2011 at pre-primary, primary and secondary level. An additional 99 200 children were at risk of dropping out. Unicef cited poverty, learner pregnancy and social protection as some of the reasons why learners drop out of school.
At the event, First National Bank (FNB) donated N$60 000 towards the campaign, Oxygen Communications through Hilda Basson Namundjebo, donated 50 kilogrammes of soap and sanitary pads to be used by girls in the marginalised communities. The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) donated N$10 000 and Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA Fund) donated N$10 000 to support the campaign.
The campaign schedule includes visiting school in Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi, Oshikoto and Kunene regions.
Shona Ngava
During the press briefing, /Ui/o/oo said the campaign is an integral part of the reintegration of marginalised communities into formal education and pleaded with the private sector to invest in the campaign.
“To achieve the objective of reintegrating learners from marginalised communities into education we need to bring the private sector on board and we must also meet the government halfway,” said /Ui/o/oo.
The campaign will kick-start on 10 June and run until 25 June with a nationwide tour of different schools. The education ambassador, musician Lazarus Shiimi, popularly known as Gazza, will also be part of the campaign to motivate and entertain the learners. Shiimi said the campaign is an important development for the marginalised communities while preserving their traditional practices.
“We are not saying we want to kill our traditional practices, we are saying we want to coexist with development,” said Shiimi.
Gerson Kamatuka, a deputy director in the Office of the President for the San division said, the 'Back to School and Stay in School campaign' has so far sponsored and assisted 120 students at the Namibia University of Science Technology (Nust), 33 students from the International University of Management (IUM) and 122 students across Vocational Training Centres (VTC) all over the country.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), there were 103 768 children out of school in Namibia in 2011 at pre-primary, primary and secondary level. An additional 99 200 children were at risk of dropping out. Unicef cited poverty, learner pregnancy and social protection as some of the reasons why learners drop out of school.
At the event, First National Bank (FNB) donated N$60 000 towards the campaign, Oxygen Communications through Hilda Basson Namundjebo, donated 50 kilogrammes of soap and sanitary pads to be used by girls in the marginalised communities. The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) donated N$10 000 and Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA Fund) donated N$10 000 to support the campaign.
The campaign schedule includes visiting school in Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi, Oshikoto and Kunene regions.
Shona Ngava
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