The newly constructed block of classrooms and a storeroom at Impalila Combined School are expected to significantly improve learning conditions and ease overcrowding at the school.

The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) officially received and inaugurated the new facilities, which were built with financial assistance from the Government of Japan.

The project cost over N$1.3 million and follows a similar inauguration at Liswani III Primary School earlier this week.

Impalila Combined School was established in 1966 using temporary structures. It was initially built on Impalila Island to accommodate learners affected by constant flooding at nearby Kasika.

However, the school remained a permanent institution and has continued to serve the community for decades. It currently has an enrolment of 401 learners emanating from about 33 villages within the island, while also accommodating learners from neighbouring flooded areas such as Kasikili and Kawulu who also attend school at Impalila Island Combined School.

Japan's Ambassador to Namibia, Shinichi Asazuma, said the Government of Japan prioritises funding schools in remote areas of Namibia that face inadequate learning conditions. He noted that Impalila Combined School, located at the northernmost tip of the country near the borders of Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, is a clear example of such need.

"The construction project had its ups and downs, but through sheer determination, perseverance and partnership, we are finally here to witness the handover."

Speaking on behalf of the Governor of the Zambezi Region, Kabbe South Constituency Councillor Raymond Sezuni called for collective support from parents, learners and teachers to ensure a conducive and progressive teaching and learning environment.

"These classrooms are more than bricks and matter; they are spaces where dreams will be nurtured, talents discovered, and teachers shaped."