Hileni Mwandingi
EPUKIRO - Bertram Amalooloo Pty Ltd recently donated the Amalooloo school sanitation technology to Morukutu Primary School in Epukiro Constituency in Omaheke Region. The sanitation facilities consist of modern precast toilet structures with complete accessories and fittings.
During the official handover ceremony on Thursday, Namibian High Commissioner to South Africa Veiccoh Nghiwete, whose office is also tasked with mobilising resources for humanitarian programmes for Omaheke Region, said the Namibian mission in Pretoria collaborated with Infra-flow and Bertram Amalooloo companies which saw the birth of processes that led to this donation.
He thanked the two companies for listening to his plea and lend a much needed helping hand through the office of the governor to this school.
Handing over the donation, the CEO for Bertram Amalooloo Pty Ltd Lukas Pieter Fourie said children need to be protected against health related threats that are associated with lack of sanitation.
By so doing, they will be protected against chronic diseases since they are still vulnerable and still growing, especially those that are still in grade ‘R’ who he said they get mostly neglected in this area.
He added that his company has proved that in school sanitation, they can reduce diarrhea diseases by more than 75 percent within two months. In addition, they have helped in increasing the school attendance rate, especially among girls by 80 percent by providing privacy and safety, and also reduced infections.
Fourie then made a request to the school board to put up measures to ensure the cleanliness of the toilets, saying it is important that they get cleaned on a daily basis, or they won’t serve the intended purpose.
“These toilets should be cleaned daily for the health and hygiene reasons; not weekly but daily! If needs be, make a rooster, get involved in your children’s future.”
Speaking at the same event, the Deputy Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Nghipondoka said sanitation is one of the crucial aspects of facilitating quality education and thus one of the priorities by the education sector.
She said government is determined to provide quality education to the kids, but with many schools established due to growing population especially after independence, her sector has been experiencing challenges in setting up of sanitation facilities at schools. Nghipondoka further stated that the agreement was made to say, there will be no school to be established or a classroom to be erected, without first considering the ablution facilities at that place.
Nghipondoka further said the government appreciates a lot when their partners in education help in any way and therefore applauded Higher Commissioner Nghiwete and Amalooloo for these facilities.
Also speaking at the same event, the Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Derek Klazen said one of the main challenges experienced by his ministry is the issue of eradicating the bucket system especially in rural and informal settlements. He therefore wish to engage the donors further and see how they might help with the toilets issue for rural areas.
Accepting the donation, the Omaheke Regional Governor Festus Ueitele, thanked all the stakeholders that were involved in this project and called on those with the responsibilities of caring for these structures to safeguard them against vandalism.
Morukutu P.S which is situated in Otjiyarua village in Epukiro has been without toilets since founded, despite having community hostel facilities where some of the kids reside.