The US Government-funded Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) programme recently handed over 100 tablet devices to the Oshikoto Region’s Regional Director of Education.

The tablets are intended for 100 DREAMS participants from various schools in the Oshikoto Region.

The US Embassy noted in a statement issued on Monday that this donation comes at a time when the Directorate of Education, Arts, and Culture has introduced online study materials for students to support independent learning, reinforce research capacity and promote critical thinking.

According to the statement, tablets will allow learners to access virtual platforms and online content relevant to their studies.

“Incomplete secondary education and poor school performance, particularly in English, science, technology and math subjects, are some of the stumbling blocks preventing students, particularly adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), from accessing Vocational Education and Training, leading to economic disparity and gender inequality that propels the spread of HIV infection,” the statement stated.

According to the statement, the DREAMS programme encourages adolescent girls and young women who are at risk of dropping out and contracting HIV to stay in school, improve their academic performance and graduate.

It further said that Namibia has a widespread HIV epidemic, with one of the highest prevalence rates in the world.

“Among adults, women bear a disproportionate burden of the virus. DREAMS is an AGYW-focused HIV prevention programme that aims to keep girls and young women HIV-free while also empowering them socially and economically. DREAMS is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and implemented by Project HOPE Namibia,” it said.

Peya Mushelenga, Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology, was quoted in the statement as emphasising the importance of ensuring that young women complete their studies.

“With Namibia set to embark on multi-million-dollar projects in oil, gas and green hydrogen, there is a need to strengthen efforts aimed at providing equitable, quality education to women and girls so that they, too, can be empowered to be at the forefront of these major developments and eventually lead independent lives,” he said.

Source: Namibia Press Agency