Patience Makwele
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) has committed N$1.05 million to strengthen pre-vocational education at seven secondary schools, as the government steps up efforts to address the mismatch between education and labour market demands.
Under the initiative, each school will receive N$150,000 to improve the delivery of technical and vocational subjects, procure practical training equipment and expose learners to vocational career opportunities.
Speaking at the official handover in Windhoek, deputy minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture Dino Ballotti said the investment forms part of the government’s broader drive to equip young Namibians with skills that match the country’s economic needs.
“For too many young people, education ends with hope, but hope is also followed by uncertainty. Not because young people lack ambition, but because too often there is a mismatch between the skills they possess and the skills our economy urgently requires,” Ballotti said.
He said the government is investing close to N$600 million annually in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) through the ministry, with the latest intervention reinforcing the objectives of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) to expand access to quality education, employment opportunities and skills development.
Ballotti described the pre-vocational support programme as a critical link in the country’s education and training pipeline, saying it complements other reforms such as the Work-Integrated Learning Policy and the subsidised tertiary education funding model aimed at producing graduates who are ready for the workplace.
“The easiest thing in government is to speak about transformation. The harder and more important thing is to invest in it. Today, the Namibia Training Authority has chosen the latter,” he said.
He challenged the NTA to expand the initiative to all 14 regions during the next budget cycle, arguing that greater investment in pre-vocational education should be viewed as an investment in Namibia’s future workforce rather than a cost.
The funding will benefit //Garibams Secondary School in the //Kharas Region, Nsundano Secondary School in the Zambezi Region, Nossob Combined School in the Omaheke Region, Oluwaya Combined School in the Ohangwena Region, Haudano Secondary School in the Omusati Region, Putuavanga Junior Secondary School in the Kunene Region and Namavambi Combined School in the Kavango West Region.
The NTA said the initiative is intended to strengthen technical and vocational education, particularly in rural and underserved communities, by improving practical learning opportunities and encouraging more learners to pursue vocational careers.
