By:Annakleta Haikera

Desks and chairs are essential items in every school to ensure a conducive learning environment for learners. In its latest effort to assist the needy, the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport), through the Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF), was quick to respond to a call by schools in the Kavango East region to help with desks and chairs. A total of 222 learners’ chairsand 120 desks worth N$150 000 was donated to three schools in the region.

The schools that benefitted from Namport’s donation are Sarusungu Combined School, Mbambangandu Junior Primary and Aloys Shashipara Junior Primary.

Each school received a number of chairs and desks according to the number of learners at the school. Sarusungu received 112 chairs and 60 desks while Mbambangandu Junior got 70 chairs and 40 desks and Hashipara 40 chairs and 20 desks.

Speaking at the handing over, director of education in the Kavango East region, Fanuel Kapapero says that investing in education was an investment into the country’s future.At the same time, he urged companies in the region to invest in education.

Kapapero said that schools in the Kavango East circuits are overcrowded as they have too many learners.

Many of the classrooms donot have chairs, particularly for the newly built classes and there is a shortage of chairs across the region.

“There are many schools that need chairs and desks, but unfortunately in our region, we have many businesses whose owners donot come to my office to say they want to donate anything to the learners in the region. There is only one company, and it is one of those fishing companies from here which donated chairs to Siguruguru Primary School. Not many companies here in the region want to donate, that is why our arms are open to receive help from anywhere,”the regional education director said.

Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo expressed his appreciation for the donation, saying that donation will contribute immensely towards the quality of teaching and learning at the three schools.

“Chairs and desks donated are critical tools in the education system. That is why it is very exciting to have a company donating chairs and desks,” he said.
In the past, Wakudumo recounted,learners had no chairs and desks, buttoday’s children need to have a conducive environment for learning, while ensuring that the educators have the tools to provide learners with quality education.

On her part, Namport’s corporate communications manager, Taná Pesat said that her company has spent about N$25 million in the education sector as they have an obligation to give back to society and impact the lives of the less privileged in Namibia.

Pesat said that Namport has invested N$45 million in communities in general.