Ending the double shift system at schools

Ending the double shift system at schools The Craton Foundation has donated three classroom blocks and a storeroom to Bet-el Primary School. Rivaldo Kavanga

Bet-el Primary School on Friday, 26 March 2021 received three classroom blocks and a storeroom from The Craton Foundation. The classrooms were donated to the school to accommodate the growing number of learners.

The donation was made in an attempt to end the dreaded double-shift system in the Khomas Region. A number of government primary schools in the Khomas Region use the double-shift system whereby one cohort of learners attends school in the morning from 07:10 to 12:00 and another cohort from 13:00 to 17:00.

The grade 2 to 5 learners are affected by this system and are on the average between the ages of 7 and 10.

The deputy minister of education, arts and culture, Faustian Caley says, “The system has over the years become further entrenched as a result of the influx of citizens to the Khomas Region and other regions that are prominent growth pivots for employment and opportunities.”

The deputy minister says the government and the private sector need to redouble efforts to create a conducive teaching and learning environment and to get rid of the two-shift system.

The deputy minister said the donation from the Craton Foundation was made possible by the strong partnership between various businesses and government organisations. she further implored other private institutions emulate this strong sense of public-private partnership.

The principal of Bet-el Primary School, Mrs JE de Koeker, received the donations with a grateful spirit.

Other donations

UNIK construction in a joint venture with Ghecko fifty-eight investment also donated four classroom blocks, a storeroom and an ablution facility to Bet-el Primary School on Thursday, 25 March 2021. The classrooms were donated due to a shortage of classrooms at the school which resulted in platoon teaching and learning. Milton Ya Otto expressed gratitude to the teams of Jack Mutua Architects and the two construction companies and their respective teams for their perseverance amidst the challenges of Covid-19 which delayed most of their projects.

The deputy minister of education, arts and culture urged the learners, teachers and management of Bet-el Primary School to take care of the buildings to guarantee quality learning and high pass rates.