Teacher Training Update
Training of teachers has been a key feature of this year. Mary Green ran a three day teacher training programme which attracted huge support from the teachers, from Ehomba and the wider cluster. The level of English education competency and reading has dramatically increased over the last three years through Mary’s teaching leadership.
We have now trained local phonics lead teachers who are doing a wonderful job, including Mrs Zauana, who is taking the lead role and the programme continues to have an extremely positive impact for the learners at Ehomba school and in the cluster.
The New Classrooms June 2014
The new classrooms completed in 2012 are proving a great success. Ehoma school is now up to Grade 9. In 2014 there are two hundred and sixty students at the school, which represents significant role growth. This presents challenges to the school and continues to put strain on the infrastructure, in particular for teachers accommodation and teacher support, but the Trust continues to work with Mr Zauana, the Principal and the teachers to supplement resources where we can.
Power On June 2014
After introducing solar energy to Ehomba School in 2008, we are delighted that the national power line infrastructure has reached Ehomba. While of the solar system served the school immensely well, the reliability of connected power is proving a boom. The teachers have been able to use electrical equipment including photocopiers and DVD’s etc to a much greater extent. It’s an exciting new development, both for school and also for the learners.
Printing Away June 2014
Having bought three different photocopiers for the school over the last six years, we were delighted in 2013 to see the Namibian Government provide the school with a large photocopier with significant production capacity. It has allowed the school, in its expanded state to meet the learners’ requirements. The two photocopiers that we most recently donated to the school are now in the satellite schools, thus extending the support systems available to teaching staff and providing learning sheets and other opportunities to learners because of this equipment’s availability.
The Namibian Government has extended the amount of paper and electricity support to schools, which is making a big difference.
Funding Update June 2014
The Trust continues to be supported by generous donations from our donors, who from time to time either visit Kunene region and hear about our work in Ehomba, or local friends in New Zealand who are long standing supporters of the project. From time to time, Jenny speaks for organisations where instead of charging consultancy fees, we ask them to make a donation to the Namibian Educational Trust. This has allowed us to continue to do our work without any major fundraising project for the last two years. However, in early 2015 we expect that we will have another major event to both celebrate the progress being made in the project and also allow donors to be updated and participate in the next major project which we need to get underway, which is likely to be a food hall. A major project, but one which I believe is possible with the support we have. More on this later.
Big Thanks June 2014
Africa is on the move. Our grateful thanks to all of you who are interested in watching this small New Zealand contribution to what is a remarkably massive country which is going to be hugely influential in the future one way or another. The children of Ehomba are like children everywhere, filled with hope for the future. There is no doubt in that this generation of young Namibians, who have only enjoyed freedom since 1990 are going to help shape the future of their nation in one way or another. Thank you for your support in allowing their aspirations to come true.