Windhoek: Learners deserve to sleep in comfort and dignity, John Pandeni Constituency councillor John Moonde said on Monday as he handed over 71 mattresses worth N$50 000 to the A Shipena Secondary School hostel in Katutura.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the donation was made possible under the Khomas Regional Council's Winter Safety Net Programme. Moonde stated that the John Pandeni Constituency selected A Shipena Secondary School, whose hostel accommodates about 250 learners, after identifying the need to improve sleeping conditions for learners, many of whom had been using worn-out mattresses.

Moonde emphasized that poor sleeping conditions can leave learners fatigued, uncomfortable, and unable to concentrate fully in class, while adequate rest enables them to remain alert, focused, and better prepared for learning. He added that although the 71 mattresses would not meet the hostel's full demand, the donation represented more than just the provision of bedding.

He remarked, "Education is not only about classrooms, textbooks, and examinations. It is also about ensuring that learners have a safe, healthy, and supportive environment in which they can rest, study, and prepare for their future. For learners residing in hostels, a good quality mattress is not a luxury."

Moonde further noted that a quality mattress is an essential component of a healthy living and learning environment, and that adequate rest contributes to learners' physical health, mental well-being, concentration, and overall academic performance.

The Khomas Regional Council allocates N$500 000 annually to the Winter Safety Net Programme, with each of the region's 10 constituencies receiving N$50 000 to support identified beneficiaries during the winter season.

On his part, A Shipena Secondary School principal, Moses Haufiku commended the constituency office for responding to the school's needs, describing the donation as evidence that education is a shared responsibility. "If all constituencies and local authorities could display the stakeholder engagement that John Pandeni Constituency is displaying, we would prove that education is not only the responsibility of the Ministry of Education," said Haufiku.

He expressed that the new mattresses would significantly improve the welfare of hostel learners by providing them with a more comfortable environment in which to rest and prepare for their studies.