Harnessing school pride at Hage Geingob High School

Having pride in one’s school means going the extra mile to make oneself, one’s school, and one’s teachers proud.

At Hage Geingob High School, the school community is tight-knit and very welcoming of new school attendees as a way of encouraging and displaying the pride that both teachers and learners have in their school.

School pride fosters a sense of belonging in learners, particularly for the grade-eight learners, who are starting out fresh and tend to feel like outsiders for the first couple of weeks - or even months – at their new school.

Representing unity

Having pride in one’s school means different things for different people.

To outgoing deputy head girl Monika Markus, school pride means "being able to go out into the world and proudly emulate the values instilled in us at school."

Markus said she is excited to go out into the real world soon, as she will be able to display the values her teachers and principal worked hard to instil in her since she started her high school journey four years ago.

Moreover, the importance of school pride goes beyond just values. It permeates itself deeply into the academic and civic performance and engagement of learners, as they tend to perform and interact better in environments where they are comfortable.

Hage Geingob High School encourages school pride through the recognition of even the smallest unsung heroes, as well as by embracing visible leadership at the school, such as the members of the learner representative council.