The President of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Martin Lukato, has called for unity towards progress and development.

Lukato said this at a media conference where he called on members of the party to continue working towards creating better living standards for Namibians.

The Mobile Telecommunication Company (MTC), through its Rural Schools Project, officially inaugurated a block of four classrooms and a storeroom at Kahunikwa Primary School in the Zambezi Region.

The classes and storeroom were constructed at a cost of N$1.2 million, with a N$200.000 contribution from the MVA Fund towards the project.

Kahunikwa Primary School in the Sibbinda Constituency consists of five staff members and 67 learners from grades one to three, whose lessons were all conducted in mud structures for years before assistance was given by the two funders.

The Groendraai Primary School, located on the outskirts of Rehoboth, is the most recent school to benefit from MTC's Rural School Project.

Constructed 71 years ago on privately owned farmland, this rural school serves 225 learners.

Prior to MTC's Rural School Project intervention, the classrooms were in a dire state.

According to the school principal, Charlton Rickerts, students are squeezed into classrooms, exacerbating the challenges posed by varying weather conditions.

The Cocoma Primary School now has two additional classrooms, thanks to Bekikumata Fishing Company. 

Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah received the classrooms at Kakekete village in Kavango East's Ndiyona Constituency.

The classrooms were constructed at a cost of about N$700,000.

Cocoma Primary has a learner population of more than 200, with only two classrooms and a storeroom turned into the principal's office.

Nandi-Ndaitwah says the donation compliments government efforts to make education accessible to every Namibia child.

Many government schools face classroom shortages, and the Michelle McLean Primary School in Windhoek is no exception.

Patron Michelle McLean visited the school to witness its athletics day.

According to the school principal, a lot of work still lies ahead for the school to be considered a conducive learning environment.

Athletics day, McLean said, is an excellent opportunity to draw attention to the school's plight.

The patron called on donors to assist with the infrastructure improvements.

The renovated classrooms at Malundu Junior Primary School in the Sibbinda Constituency have been handed over to the Ministry of Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

The classrooms are part of a grant from the Japanese government for grassroots human security projects.

The block is meant to help accommodate the 104 four learners registered at the school from Grades 0 to 4.

Speaking at the handover, Japan's Ambassador to Namibia, Nishimaki Hisao handed over the classrooms.

The Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) through its Rural School Project, has announced plans to construct classrooms in Zambezi, Ohangwena and Hardap regions this year at a cost of N$3,2 million.

The schools to benefit include Kahunikwa Primary, Onduludiya Combined School and the Groendraai Primary Schools.

MTC's Chief Human Capital, Corporate Affairs, and Marketing Officer, Tim Ekandjo expressed dismay over challenges, such as the lack of dilapidated classrooms faced by many schools in the country.

Some schools that were affected by last year's rainfall are yet to be fixed.

At Iimbili Combined School in the Ohangwena Region, some learners are attending classes in a tent as a result.

The roof of the school's block of three classrooms was blown off by last year's November rainfall, and renovations have not started.

As a result, some learners are now being temporarily taught in a tent donated by a villager.

The school management team at C. Ngatjizeko Primary School in Omaheke's Otjinene Constituency is striving to raise funds through various activities to address the shortage of classrooms.

Speaking at the 60-year celebration of the school at Otjinene, the principal, Magdalene Muniaro, said to cater for the ever-increasing numbers of registered learners each year, they had to introduce a platoon system, which she says is not ideal for learning.