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Patience Makwele The information and communication technology (ICT) industry has been urged to strengthen partnerships with educational institutions and government to help young Namibians acquire industry-relevant skills and access employment opportunities. Lysias Haiduwa, deputy director of training and employment in the ministry of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture, said on Thursday that closer cooperation could help young people access internships, mentorship and opportunities to establish technology-based businesses. Speaking during the Youth Day sessions of the 9th National ICT Summit in Ongwediva, Haiduwa identified software development, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and technical support as potential career paths for…

As the ruling party heads towards another decisive elective congress in 2027, the question is no longer simply who will occupy the top four positions. It is whether SWAPO can finally make the difficult transition from a liberation movement built around historical loyalties to a modern political party capable of defining itself beyond Sam Nujoma. There is a question that has hovered over SWAPO for years but has become increasingly difficult to avoid: Has SWAPO really become independent of Sam Nujoma? This is no longer a question of whether the founding president exercises political control. He has passed from the…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for a sustainable sporting system that creates employment and professional opportunities for young Namibians, saying the country must move beyond sending athletes to international competitions. Speaking at the official handover of the national flag to Team Namibia at State House in Windhoek on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said sport should be recognised as a contributor to national development through employment, education, health and community building. “Our ambition is not simply to send teams to international competitions. We must build a sustainable sporting system that identifies talent, develops athletes, strengthens our coaches and federations, improves sporting infrastructure, creates…

Patience Makwele Founder of Hope Based Healthcare Namibia, Eglien Eises, has urged young Namibians looking for work not to overlook palliative care, pointing to the 40 jobs already created through her organisation’s work. Eises said the organisation employs doctors, nurses, care providers and administrative staff to provide home-based care to people living with serious and life-limiting illnesses. “We have one full-time and one part-time [doctor], and seven nurses consisting of two registered nurses, five enrolled nurses, and 25 care providers with other administrative staff. So, currently, proudly, we have created employment for 40 Namibians,” she said. Her comments come as…

Patience Makwele Young people in the Zambezi Region are looking to the 2027 Miss Namibia and Miss Teen Namibia pageants as a chance to put local talent, culture and creative industries in the national spotlight. The region will host the two national pageants for the first time next year, taking over from Omaheke, which hosted Miss Namibia 2026. For 30-year-old fashion designer, entrepreneur and former University of Namibia Katima Mulilo campus graduate and teacher Grace Liyali, the hosting could bring much-needed business to creatives whose work is often seasonal. Speaking to the Young Observer, Liyali said the impact could extend…

Namibia has reached a critical juncture in its development. More than three decades after independence, the country has achieved considerable progress in some areas, but the uncomfortable reality is that we are not meeting all the human-development goals that should define a modern middle-income democracy. Unemployment remains stubbornly high. Inequality remains among the highest in the world. Economic growth is not creating enough quality jobs. Skills mismatches persist. Public institutions face capacity constraints. And despite significant public expenditure on education and human development, the transition from education to productive employment remains difficult. The International Monetary Fund’s 2026 assessment of Namibia…

Patience Makwele Young people have been encouraged to stop viewing singleness as a problem and instead use the period to understand themselves, build their identity and establish what they want before entering relationships. The call was made by entrepreneur, social worker and public speaker Hilda Basson Namundjebo during the #BreakFree Game Changers gender dialogue hosted by the One Economy Foundation in Windhoek on Wednesday. Namundjebo said young people should spend time understanding who they are, their purpose, dreams and ambitions instead of allowing relationships to define their worth. “I really want you to spend your time with yourself to understand…

There are certain things a government simply has to get right. Education is one of them. Health is another. Roads, airports, housing, economic development and a host of other national priorities matter enormously. But there is something fundamentally different about education and health: they are investments in the human beings who must ultimately carry the country forward. That is why the recent videos circulating on social media showing the condition of some government-owned schools in Swakopmund should concern every Namibian. The images are difficult to reconcile with the Namibia we would like to believe we are building. Dilapidated buildings, deteriorating…