Niël Terblanché
Namibia has taken a courageous step in reforming its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector with the inauguration of a task force dedicated to transforming state-owned Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) into fully-fledged TVET colleges.
The initiative, launched on Thursday by Itah Kandjii-Murangi, the minister of higher education, technology and innovation, aims to bridge the qualification gap in the country’s vocational education system and align training programmes with evolving labour market demands.
Kandjii-Murangi stressed the significance of this transformation in tackling structural unemployment and fostering economic growth.
“Transformation and classification of TVET in Namibia stand central in our aspiration of becoming an industrialised society. We must be agile and responsive in developing an efficient, effective, and sustainable TVET system, aligned with the current and future skills needs of the labour market,” she said.
The minister added that Namibia’s TVET system is currently well-established up to Level 3 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), but it suffers from what the minister described as a missing middle.
According to Kandjii-Murangi, this gap in qualifications from Levels 4 to 6 limits the career progression of TVET graduates and restricts their access to higher-skilled and higher-paying job opportunities.
“The lack of qualifications at Level 4 to 6 leaves the labour market excessively polarised, hampering qualification progression and articulation, as well as social mobility,” she explained.
The minister acknowledged that Namibia’s TVET system has been slow to fully respond to the growing demand for skilled labour in critical sectors despite some state-owned vocational training centres already offering higher-level qualifications.
She reiterated that a concerted effort was required to enhance both the quality of TVET graduates and the overall system’s responsiveness to industry needs.
To address these challenges, a newly established task force will conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing VTCs to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
Kandjii-Murangi said the team is also expected to develop a strategic plan for transitioning selected VTCs into specialised TVET colleges capable of offering training at Levels 4 to 6.
The minister explained that this would be done in accordance with Regulation No. 7498 of the Vocational Education and Training Act, Act 1 of 2008.
“The task force, comprising TVET, labour market, industry, and research experts, will engage key stakeholders, including educators, students, and industry representatives, to ensure broad-based input and consensus,” she said.
Their responsibilities will extend to curriculum development, aligning training programmes with market demands, and establishing quality assurance mechanisms.
According to Kandjii-Murangi, the task force is also expected to benchmark best practices and propose a model that enhances employer interest in TVET graduates, thereby strengthening both the education sector and workforce development.
She reiterated the importance of stakeholder collaboration, particularly with industry players, to ensure that the transformation effort leads to tangible employment opportunities for graduates.
“Industry participation and support stand central in this endeavour. It remains vitally important that industry assists in generating opportunities that our TVET graduates can access across a range of sectors,” she said.
The minister added that with Namibia’s emerging energy sector, advancements in technology, and lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for a restructured TVET system has never been greater.
She said that Namibia must adapt to these realities by ensuring that its workforce is equipped with relevant skills.
“With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic still lingering, increasing automation of jobs, and the pace of technological change, as well as expectations for higher-level TVET skills emanating from our country’s emerging energy sector, it is needed now, more than ever,” she said.
The task force, chaired by Professor Francis Sifiso Nyathi of the Namibia University of Science and Technology, has been given ten months to complete its work.
According to the minister, progress reports will be submitted periodically, with key deliverables reviewed at each stage.
She added that the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) will provide administrative, logistical, and financial support to facilitate the successful execution of the assignment.
Kandjii-Murangi expressed confidence that the initiative would enhance the country’s educational framework and uplift the TVET sector.
She urged the task force to embrace the platform as an opportunity for meaningful engagement and innovation.
“The Ministry deems this Task Force a platform for finding innovative solutions; a platform to evaluate and take stock of the work we do; a platform for improvement,” she said.
She added that the transformation of VTCs into specialised TVET colleges is a decisive step towards building a more skilled, competitive, and adaptable workforce.
“The success of this initiative will depend not only on government and institutional efforts but also on strong partnerships with industry to ensure that TVET graduates have the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market,” she said.
