WALVIS Bay businessman, Jose Luis Bastos, donated a building worth N$9 million to the harbour town’s International School, and spent another N$10 million on upgrading it.
The school is home to 270 students, from preprimary to secondary level. While most of the learners are Namibian, others are from Australia, Asia, Europe, Brazil, Cuba, Zimbabwe and South Africa. According to the school’s principal, Henda Meyer, this variety is due to the growth in the fishing and mining sectors in the region.The school was opened in 2007 already but in 2010, it ‘ran out of space’. According to Meyer, the school now has a waiting list for 2012 and 2013.’A building adjacent to our school was for sale by Bastos for N$9 million. We did not have the money, but I went to speak to him and showed him the plans we have for the school. He then offered it to us for N$6 million. After consulting with the parents and teachers, I had to go back and said that we had great plans, but we still did not have money. It was then that he said, ‘The building is yours’; just like that,’ Meyer explained.That is not where it ended. In order to realise the plans, Bastos spent a further N$10 million on the upgrading and renovations on the new section of the school, which included more classrooms, a laboratory and administration offices.’We even offered to pay N$25 000 rent, but he just said that we should put that into a bursary fund,’ Meyer said.The inauguration of the new building was held with a fancy do the previous Friday, where former president, Sam Nujoma also attended; and the deputy-Minister of Education, David Namwandi. Each gave a personal cheque of N$5 000 and N$4 000 respectively towards the school at the event.According to Bastos the building and alterations were made available through the ‘Bastos Foundation’.’The more the private sector helps the Ministry of Education in erecting schooling facilities, the better for everybody. The private sector is part of the solution to the education problems, without costing anything to the State and all we need is for the government and the local authorities to give us as many facilities as possible to continue growing to be able to prepare our youth for a bright future,’ said Bastos.
