Patience Makwele
Namibia’s education system is producing graduates who are increasingly ill-prepared for the demands of the modern workplace, with industry and education leaders warning that a growing skills mismatch could hamper the country’s development ambitions.
The warning emerged during International Training College-Lingua’s first business networking breakfast held under the theme, ‘Stakeholder Engagement: Actions Leading to Smart Partnerships between Industry and Educational Institutions in Windhoek on Friday.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the education minister, National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) deputy executive director, Sylvia Demas said employers continue to complain about a mismatch between the skills required by the labour market and those possessed by many job seekers.
“Employers complain of a major skills mismatch while many adults are left with little or no access to affordable training and re-skilling opportunities,” she said.
Demas said the world is undergoing rapid technological transformation, making continuous learning and skills development essential.
She urged Namibians to prioritise skilling, reskilling and upskilling to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive global economy.
She further called for renewed efforts to recover learning losses brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and challenged stakeholders to rethink education systems to ensure they produce resilient, innovative and adaptable citizens.
“How do we ensure that learning empowers individuals and societies to reshape the present and lead us to a more just, sustainable, resilient and peaceful future?” she asked.
The concerns were echoed by Green Enterprise Solutions managing director Kehad Snydewel, who said many graduates enter the workplace lacking practical experience and often struggle to adapt to professional environments.
“When I look at new students or fresh graduates, they are often a bit lost when they come into a work environment,” he said.
Snydewel stressed that work-integrated learning, internships and traineeships remain critical tools for bridging the divide between classroom learning and industry demands.
“Most Namibian professionals started out as interns and, with hard work, dedication and the right attitude, they grew in their professions,” he said.
The breakfast meeting, attended by leaders from government, academia and the private sector, formed part of Lingua’s 25th anniversary celebrations and served as a platform to explore closer collaboration between educational institutions and industry.
Lingua founder and chief executive officer Ingrid Kloppers-Mettler said the institution was established on the principle that education should not be reserved for a privileged few and that opportunities can transform lives irrespective of a person’s academic background.
Today, the institution offers more than 100 qualifications and serves over 10 000 students across several disciplines.
However, Kloppers-Mettler said access to education remains a challenge, with many deserving students unable to afford tertiary studies and private institutions often carrying significant financial and operational risks.
She said the future of Namibia’s education sector depends on stronger partnerships between government, industry and educational institutions.
“If we are serious about building Namibia’s future, then the government, industry, educational institutions and society must work together to create sustainable solutions,” she said.
As part of its next chapter, International Training College-Lingua announced plans to transition into Lingford University, positioning itself as a research-informed institution aimed at producing graduates equipped to contribute meaningfully to Namibia’s socio-economic development.
