By Shivute Kaapanda /
In order to turn their classroom learning into the real world of business activity, Olupaka Combined School, on Friday, 18 October 2024, became a hive of entrepreneurial creativity as learners held their entrepreneurship day at the school.
The day turned Olupaka Combined School grounds into a business hub as Grade 9 leaners set up various stalls on the school grounds selling mostly food items to the school staff, other leaners as well as to the public.
Olupaka Combined School is a government school situated in Eyanda village in Omusati region on the way to Onesi.
When Omutumwa visited the school grounds, there was a fascinating atmosphere of trade, all leaners of the school as well as teachers lined up to support each other on the subject of entrepreneurship which is a practical day to test their knowledge for those leaners who are engaged in the subject of entrepreneurship at Olupaka Combined school.
The principal of Olupaka Combined School, Mrs Sabina Kleopas, stated that with the assistance of Mr Petrus Kadhila, an entrepreneurship teacher at the school, the Grade 9 leaners at the school came up with the initiative a few years ago to host an entrepreneurship day.
On the entrepreneurship day the learners sell food items which they acquire themselves to engage in the practical aspect of the subject of entrepreneurship to make profit to support themselves as well as to contribute to the school coffers.
“With the assistance of their parents and guardians these leaners went to purchase their food items and they are the ones who cooked by themselves,” Mrs Kleopas said while buying some of the food for her lunch. “Look at this tasty Oshiwambo Chicken.”
One of the entrepreneurs was Ntinda Captain, a 15 years old Grade 9 leaner. His business name as shown on his business license was: “Slow by Slow Enterprise”.
Slow by Slow Enterprise is a partnership business which sells boiled Oshiwambo chicken, sweets, snacks and bread.
“We are in a partnership business for our marks for the entrepreneurship subject but also for profit,” Ntinda told Omutumwa.
“My business partners are Andreas Endjala, Valipo Michael, Kautiwa Hosea and Aindji Abraham.”
Omutumwa also sat with Mr Petrus Kadhila, an experienced Entrepreneurship teacher at Olupaka Combined School, who has been teaching the subject at the school since 2008 when it was at the time called “Business Studies” before the new school curriculum turned it into ‘Entrepreneurship’.
He teaches two classes for Grade 9 and another two for the Grade 8 leaners.
“This initiative is a practical part of Entrepreneurship theoretical subject; leaners get assessed and given marks because they have to give reports after they finish selling,” Mr Kadhila said.
“This subject entails different types of businesses and we teach particularly on SME management, we have been hosting an entrepreneurship day every year for the last few years now.”
The teachers and leaners were the main customers at the event, but some of the parents as well as members of the public were seen coming to support the entrepreneurship day at the local school.
In the photo: Shivute Kaapanda of Omutumwa News Online pictured with Ntinda Captain. Also in another image Kaapanda is pictured with Mr Petrus Kadhila.
