German couple donates N$160 000 towards WHS textbooks

Marina Antonio
  • 1 Week Ago

Windhoek High School (WHS) Grade 8 learners have received textbooks worth N$160 000 following a donation from German couple Frank and Andrea Schlegel, who are active supporters of education and development initiatives in Namibia.

The Schlegels, who are from near Dresden, Germany, have been visiting Africa for more than seven years. Their connection with Namibia developed through safaris with pilot and tour guide Jan Friede, who has travelled with them across Namibia and other African countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa.

Friede said the couple’s interest in education and development led them to ask where their financial contributions could have the greatest impact. “They initially started by adopting a cheetah at the N/a’an ku sê Foundation. Then they started supporting a Bushman school there,” Friede said.

He said the couple later approached him about supporting education and asked where their money could make a difference. Friede recommended WHS, a state school, and said he would oversee how the funds were used.

“In March this year they donated N$160 000 towards the textbooks of all the Grade 8s at Windhoek High School, a state school,” he said.

The textbooks were handed over to the school last week, with Grade 8 learners taking part in a photo session to mark the donation.


Support planned for future grades

Friede said the Schlegels intend to continue supporting the school, with plans to fund Grade 9 textbooks next year and Grade 10 textbooks the following year.

The planned support would allow the couple to follow the learners as they progress through the school, providing textbooks for successive grades.

For the learners, access to the required textbooks provides an additional resource for studying and completing schoolwork.

The donation also comes as Friede raises concerns about the quality of public education in Namibia. “The quality and standard of primary, secondary and tertiary state education in Namibia is in a dismal and embarrassing condition,” he said.

Friede also criticised the government’s record on education since Independence, arguing that Namibia has become increasingly reliant on foreign donations to address educational needs.

His comments reflect his own assessment of the state of public education and were not independently verified.

Friede said the Schlegels’ continued support showed their commitment to education and their desire to make a tangible contribution to Namibia.

For the Grade 8 learners, the immediate result is more books on their desks – and the prospect of continued support as they move through the next stages of their schooling.