LUANDA – Construction started last week on a primary school donated by Sinohydro, a Chinese company, in the rural area of Xangongo, in Angola’s southern province of Cunene.
The school, named “Eko” after the community, is slated to be completed by the end of this year. It will feature 12 classrooms and can accommodate 840 students in two shifts.
During a ceremony to mark the commencement of the construction last Wednesday, Angola’s Minister of Energy and Water João Borges expressed appreciation for the Chinese company’s socially responsible initiative. He emphasized the project’s significance in improving the living conditions of the local population and promoting educational inclusiveness.
“Next year, this school will be fully operational, with all the necessary conditions guaranteed,” he said.
Ondjiva Diocese Bishop Pio Hipunyati noted that the surrounding area has only six primary and no secondary schools. While all students complete primary education, they lack opportunities to continue their education, but the new Eko school, when completed, can cater to secondary education needs.
“This is a rural community that needs all the attention. You cannot imagine the importance this school holds for this community,” he said. “We are facing an extremely important project for our community. We are grateful, above all, to Sinohydro and the Ministry of Energy and Water for enabling us to achieve this accomplishment.”
In an interview with Xinhua, Gerdina Didalelwa, the governor of Cunene province, emphasized the importance of continuing the partnership with China in fostering sustainable development and reducing poverty in Angola.
“It is necessary to continue this partnership and work with Chinese companies for the development of Angola, especially in Cunene province,” she said. – Xinhua
Angola’s Minister of Energy and Water João Borges (left) and the governor of Cunene province, Gerdina Didalelwa (second from left), attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the “Eko” primary school donated by the Chinese Sinhohydro company in Xangongo, southern Angola, last Wednesday. – AFP
