Niël Terblanché
The Walvis Bay Gymnasium officially welcomed its first wave of eager learners during the official opening of the new learning facility last week.
The opening ceremony, attended by dignitaries and community members, marked a significant step forward in providing quality education and addressing the pressing challenges of student performance and overcrowding in schools.
Walvis Bay Mayor, Trevino Forbes, lauded the rapid and efficient construction of the school, emphasizing its importance to the community.
, “The speed and precision with which this facility was constructed is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved. The opening of the Walvis Bay Gymnasium holds great significance for the community, especially at a time when our country is grappling with challenges in student performance and overcrowding in schools,” he said.
Forbes emphasized the school’s role as a beacon of hope and opportunity for the youth, offering a supportive environment for quality education.
“This occasion marks a step forward in the town’s commitment to providing access to quality education for all. Walvis Bay Gymnasium not only signifies progress in infrastructure development but also holds the promise of fostering academic excellence and personal growth for our students,” he added.
Forbes called for continued teamwork to ensure the benefits of this institution reach every child in need.
Collette Rieckert, Managing Director of Curro Education Namibia, shared the vision behind two newly constructed private schools, the Walvis Bay Gymnasium and Oshana Gymnasium and said the facilities were built at a cost of N$240 million, with phase one now completed.
Rieckert explained that these locations were chosen due to anticipated future growth in the regions.
“Curro Education Namibia was an obvious partner to run the operations of these schools. Ino Harith Group understood my vision, and the Development Bank of Namibia came on board as a debt financier, believing in the project’s valuable impact on Namibia’s socio-economic development,” she said.
The schools are operated by the Curro Gymnasium Schools Company via Curro Education Namibia.
For the 2024 school year, the pre-school block and secondary school block have been completed, accommodating pre-school, junior primary, senior primary, and secondary school students.
Sports facilities include netball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and a rugby/soccer field with a cricket pitch and a grass athletics track, as well as the first Global International Polytan Hockey field in Africa.
She said the school hall and admin block are slated for completion in June.
The official inauguration ceremony followed an open day, where the public had the opportunity to tour the impressive new facilities and enrol their children.
