Following the setting up of the Parish in 1924, Lukenge established the St. Mary’s Odibo School in 1925, first as a centre for teaching English to Ovambo men going for contract labour and later as a full-fledged school offering basic education. Although the school promotes the aspirations and values of the Anglican Church, it has always accommodated students and learners from other faiths and denominations.
In its existence, the St Mary’s Odibo School produced many of the heroes and heroines of Namibia’s struggle for independence and some of the great politicians; including: the 2nd President of Namibia, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba and 2nd Former First Lady, Madam Penehupifo Pohamba; Her Excellency, Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwa, the current President of Namibia; the late Honourable Adimba Toivo yaToivo, Minister of many ministerial portfolios in independent Namibia; and the late Honourable Michael Ndapamapedu Hishikushitya, former Oshikango Constituency Councillor, to mention just a few.
It also produced clergies who later became leaders of the Anglican Church in Namibia; namely: the late Reverend Theophelus Hingashikuka Hamutumbangela; the late Retired Rt. Rev. James Hamupanda Kauluma; Retired Rt. Rev Nehemia Shihala Hamupembe; Retired Rt. Rev. Petrus Hidulika Hilukiluah and the late Rt. Rev. Nathanael Ndahuma Nakwatumbah. A St. Mary’s Odibo School Alumni Book will be published and sold during the Centenary week slated for 17-24 August 2025.
In its existence, St. Mary’s Odibo High School has moved several times. It was first moved to Oshandi in 1967 and then came back to Odibo in 1970. Then it was closed in 1979 when several students left to join SWAPO PLAN in Angola. The school then relocated to Onekwaya West in 1980 and only moved back to Odibo after 20 years, in 2000 to Odibo, where it is till today, continuing to educate Namibians. Throughout all these relocations, it never lost its name, it has always been called St. Mary’s Odibo School.
Today, St Mary’s Odibo High School has the capacity to accommodate 400 learners and a staff complement of 35 staff members. In 2024, the school ranked number 9 amongst the top 10 performing private schools in the country. The school was previously not ranked due to low entries. The new ranking is attributed to a change in school leadership which introduced innovative teaching and learning strategies. read more...
Wherever you find former learners of St Mary’s School, they have excelled in their personal lives and work. Whether they had an opportunity to further their education or not, they have made a contribution to society, after leaving St Mary’s School. This page will be updated after every second (2nd) month to provide brief information about the achievements of people who call St Mary’s Odibo School their Alma Mata. Read More
Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwa is a Namibian politician and the current President of the Republic of Namibia. After her inauguration as President on 21st March 2025, she became the first woman to hold this position in the Country. Honourable Nandi Ndaitwa attended St Mary’s School during the 1960s and 1970s. She is one of the students who went in exile to join the SWAPO movement straight from the school. She served Namibians in many capacities, both in exile and after independence, including being one of the few females who became members of Parliament at independence and the first female to hold the position of the Country’s Vice President and then President. The Honourable Nandi Ndaitwa has been instrumental in obtaining funds for the 2021 renovations, including fencing off the boundaries of the St Mary’s Odibo Mission.
The Late Bishop James Hamupanda Kauluma completed Standard 3 at St. Mary’s School and went for further studies to excel in religious education. Consecrated in 1978, he was the first indigenous Anglican Bishop of Namibia from 1978 to 1998 and also served for 10 years as the President of the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN). Through the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, the late Bishop Kauluma is credited for sending many Namibians (including non-Anglicans) from Namibia to obtain higher qualifications overseas during the 1980s, at the height of the struggle for independence.
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Former First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba is a Namibian politician and specialty nurse by training. Madam Pohamba attended her primary and secondary school at St. Mary’s Odibo School from 1958 to 1969. She served as second First Lady of the Republic of Namibia from 2005 to 2015. During her tenure as Namibia’s First Lady, Madam Pohamba advocated for women empowerment to be able to contribute effectively to the development of society. As a professional midwifery, Madam Pohamba served as the Vice President of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) HIV/AIDS. A Maternity Shelter at St. Mary Odibo Mission was named after her: The Penehupifo Pohamba Maternal Shelter.
The Late Honourble Herman Andimba Toivo yaToivo attended St. Mary’s Odibo School until 1950, after completing Standard Six (6). He is one of the founders of SWAPO, the most revered anti-apartheid activist and hero of the Namibian struggle for independence. He served 16 years in Robben Island as a political prisoner, in the same section as President Nelson Mandela of South Africa. After Namibian’s Independence the late Toivo yaToivo served Namibia in many ministerial capacities, including: Minister of Labour; Minister of Prisons and Correctional Services; and Minister of Mines and Energy, to mention just a few. The St. Mary’s Odibo High School Kitchen and Dining Hall complex for students is named after the Honourable Andimba Toivo yaToivo.
