Patience Makwele
Young Namibians entering the job market may increasingly need to demonstrate that they can use artificial intelligence (AI), with education deputy minister Dino Ballotti highlighting digital competence as an important skill for the next generation of workers.
Speaking at the UNESCO-KFIT cross-country workshop in Windhoek on Monday, Ballotti said young people currently in classrooms would enter an economy shaped by digital tools, including artificial intelligence.
“For these learners, digital competence, I would say, is fast becoming mandatory,” he said.
Ballotti shared that when he hired his assistant, one of the first questions he asked was whether she was AI competent.
He also referred to the term “prompt engineer”, describing it as a way of making effective use of digital technologies.
The issue extends beyond the classroom, as young people must also find ways to apply digital skills in practical settings.
Anicia Peters, chief executive of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), has previously emphasised the importance of young Namibians gaining practical experience with AI and applying their skills to local development challenges.
Young technology entrepreneur Gotlieb Mupandela has also demonstrated how AI-assisted coding tools can be used to develop software and solutions to local problems.
Their experiences point to the importance of moving beyond familiarity with AI tools towards understanding how the technology can be applied in real-world situations.
Ballotti said teachers remain central to preparing learners for this changing environment.
“But none of this reaches a learner except through a teacher,” he said.
He argued that a teacher who is confident in using one effective digital tool could do more for learners than one given several tools without adequate training.
UNESCO Representative to Namibia Eunice Smith also stressed that the success of digital education depends on how effectively technology improves teaching and learning, while United Nations Resident Coordinator Hopolang Phororo highlighted the importance of digital connectivity and education in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The deputy minister also challenged education officials to look beyond the number of teachers attending training workshops and the number of smart boards purchased, asking whether the tools were being used and what impact they had on learning outcomes.
He warned that differences in access to electricity and reliable internet between urban and rural schools could widen existing inequalities.
Within the same country, he said, one school may have reliable electricity and internet connectivity while another, a few hours away, has neither.
Ballotti made the remarks during the opening of the UNESCO-KFIT project’s cross-country workshop, which brought together education representatives from Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda to discuss the use of information and communication technology in education.
The current phase of the project ends in 2027, leaving participating countries to consider how its results will be sustained beyond the period of project support.
Ballotti said the focus should be on what technology changes for teachers and learners, rather than simply counting equipment supplied or activities conducted.
By the end of the current phase, he said, participating countries should be able to demonstrate what had changed for the teachers and learners who used the technology.
