About 240 poor and marginalized learners selected from all over Namibia will next year form part of the first intake at the country's first ever vision school.

With over N$100 million pumped into the construction of the Divundu Vision School, high quality secondary education will be offered to accelerate the country's march towards Vision 2030.

With the school completed, New Era spoke to the Kavango Regional Education Deputy Director, Fanuel Kapapero, the man who was entrusted with the responsibility to handpick the learners and teaching staff for the school.

Kapapero said the primary aim of the school is to train and educate competent learners, who will accelerate the country's journey to Vision 2030. "This school is the first of its kind in Namibia. Next year we will start with 240 learners, 120 in Grade 8 and 120 in Grade 11," he said.

"With the assistance of my colleagues, we have made sure that only top learners from disadvantaged families make it into the school," said the deputy director.

"Learners at this school will have no reason not to perform as the school is equipped with advanced teaching materials and some of the best teachers around," he said.

The teachers were also screened closely before their appointment, he said, adding that teachers appointed at the school are those that see teaching as a calling and not as a mere job.

Meanwhile, Kapapero is concerned about the limited involvement of parents in school activities in the region.

"Last year the region was ranked third in the national Grade 12 rankings, but we are hoping to improve this year. The potential is there to improve."

The date for the official opening of the school is yet to be determined, said Kapapero, but the induction process is slated for January 9-11 next year for both learners and staff members.

The school is equipped with a library and seven laboratories for subjects such as agriculture, biology and computer science.