Teachers’ skills enhanced
In collaboration with the Capricorn Foundation, Bank Windhoek hosts a Grade 4 Mathematics Teachers Initiative in Windhoek today and tomorrow. Supported by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, the workshop aims to invest in the education of Namibian youth.Bank Windhoek’s Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sponsorships, Bronwyn Moody, said that the event is a culmination of the bank’s 40th anniversary, celebrated last year.
“As a socially responsible corporate citizen, Bank Windhoek, through the Capricorn Foundation, takes pride in giving back to the communities in which we operate,” she said.
Moody added that 27 teachers from across the country were identified to attend the workshop. “The training will assist them in gaining skills to understand the syllabus better. The prerequisite for mathematics teachers was that they had less than five years of experience. We specifically searched for teachers from the least performing schools countrywide in rural areas,” Moody said. “The teachers will receive a certificate upon completing the training and can use these skills to improve the mathematics academic results of the learners currently enrolled in Grade 4.”
Ismael Ntopoli, Dumi Litwayi, Ronnellie Guriras and Sofia Haipinge, Heads of the Departments of Mathematics and Science in their respective schools, will facilitate the workshop. Ntopoli said his role in the workshop is to facilitate finding strategies to overcome challenging topics in the Namibian syllabus.
Litwayi, the founder of after-school learning support, said he looks forward to sharing his mathematics training acquired in Japan. Guriras said that she will share educational games that teachers can use to improve results and make mathematics exciting. Haipinge echoed her team's sentiments and added that she would focus on bridging the gap between the grade three and four learners.
The Executive Officer of the Capricorn Foundation, Marlize Horn, said that the foundation is proud to partner with Bank Windhoek on hosting the event. “Education is one of the key focus areas of the Capricorn Foundation, and this is one of many initiatives we support to improve education in Namibia. We truly believe that an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Since late 2022, Bank Windhoek and the Ministry of Education worked together in preparation for the event. “This is a good example of Public Private Partnership, and we are proud to journey together in sharing stories, finding solutions and forging ahead to becoming the best we can be for all our learners and future leaders of our country,” Moody concluded.