Gosen Community Effort is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EID 45-3066098) whose mission is to promote academic achievement among the students of Gosen Combined School in Onyati, Namibia by awarding high school scholarships to those who perform well on their junior secondary exit (JSC) exams.
What we do
GCE pays school fees and other related costs for Gosen graduates who we are confident will perform successfully in high school.
In the future we hope to assist with university costs as well.
What students do
Students must score at least a 30 on their JSC exams, which equates to a C-average in the States. Less than half of Namibian students manage the 24 points needed to pass, and a great deal of those who do pass barely do so. We would like students to set goals above merely passing so that they will be prepared to do well at the next level rather than continue to tread water.
Purpose
Social mobility is tightly correlated to education, obviously, but unfortunately for many in the developing world it requires a financial investment that many families just can’t afford. Senior secondary school in Namibia can average anywhere between $100 and $250 a year, a sharp increase from the $10 or $20 it cost to attend the primary and junior secondary phases of school.
Complicating the access to education is that there are no guaranteed returns from simply attending school. Students who struggle to pass junior secondary continue to struggle as senior secondary students. Admission to college or university is much more competitive than admission to grades 11 and 12, so even if students manage to barely pass high school they may not be allowed the opportunity for further matriculation.
To address both access and performance within the Gosen community, GCE has pledged financial assistance to students demonstrating academic proficiency. While it is our social responsibility to help make school more accessible, it is the students’ personal responsibility to treat their education as an opportunity, which is why we demand more of them than just the bare minimum.
Otuli pamwe – We are together
The name we have chosen for ourselves – Gosen Community Effort – represents the contributions we make together as students, families, and donors to ensure the continued education of Gosen students.
What we do
GCE pays school fees and other related costs for Gosen graduates who we are confident will perform successfully in high school.
In the future we hope to assist with university costs as well.
What students do
Students must score at least a 30 on their JSC exams, which equates to a C-average in the States. Less than half of Namibian students manage the 24 points needed to pass, and a great deal of those who do pass barely do so. We would like students to set goals above merely passing so that they will be prepared to do well at the next level rather than continue to tread water.
Purpose
Social mobility is tightly correlated to education, obviously, but unfortunately for many in the developing world it requires a financial investment that many families just can’t afford. Senior secondary school in Namibia can average anywhere between $100 and $250 a year, a sharp increase from the $10 or $20 it cost to attend the primary and junior secondary phases of school.
Complicating the access to education is that there are no guaranteed returns from simply attending school. Students who struggle to pass junior secondary continue to struggle as senior secondary students. Admission to college or university is much more competitive than admission to grades 11 and 12, so even if students manage to barely pass high school they may not be allowed the opportunity for further matriculation.
To address both access and performance within the Gosen community, GCE has pledged financial assistance to students demonstrating academic proficiency. While it is our social responsibility to help make school more accessible, it is the students’ personal responsibility to treat their education as an opportunity, which is why we demand more of them than just the bare minimum.
Otuli pamwe – We are together
The name we have chosen for ourselves – Gosen Community Effort – represents the contributions we make together as students, families, and donors to ensure the continued education of Gosen students.
