Vocational Education project enters second phase

The National Training Authority has submitted to the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) thirteen new qualifications that promise to improve the quality and quantity of vocational education graduates in the next phase of the vocational training program.
The Promotion of Vocational Education and Training Project (ProVET)’s second phase was sealed this week in Windhoek by the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) in cooperation with the German government development organisation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit’s (GIZ).
The 10 million Euro agreement was signed by the Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Itah Kandjii-Murangi, the acting CEO of the Namibian Training Authority, Jerry Beukes and the Country Director of the GIZ, Albert Engel.
Speaking at the signing, Albert Engel, said that Germany considers vocational education and training as one of the key success factor of its economic strength and social stability.
The same applies to Namibia as the country tries to qualify vocational graduates according to the needs of the labour market and at the same time support graduates in acquiring decent employment.
This Engel said is necessary to keep the competitive edge of the business sector in the global economy and secure sustainable gainful employment for demand-oriented qualified workforce. However, he stressed that it will merely not be a transplant of the German Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. But, will incorporate cross cutting issues such as gender, HIV/AIDS, aptitude and attitude needed for a client service industry.
The security of skilled labour is high on the agenda as the country is 15 years away from the national development plan of Vision 2030 that sees vocational training as key in the macro national development strategy.
The Namibia Training Authority, CEO Jerry Beukes said at the signing that the NTA is making excellent progress in the implementation of its five-year rolling Strategic Plan aimed at growing the Vocational Education and Training sector. Beukes said that the current 15 thousand vocational graduates are expected to double in the next five to seven years with more emphasis on agricultural training in the implementing phase. A sector he said was overlooked in past planning by the NTA.
The thirteen new qualifications will mostly focus on agricultural vocational training with fire and rescue and safety operations training. Further along the way, thirteen vocational trainers from different vocational education centres in the country will go to Germany to do an intensive six-week automotive industry course.
ProVET is also supporting the development of standards and qualifications for genuine Namibian training of trainers which is closely linked to the National Training Authority’s strategic objective of developing a system for further training of VET trainers.
The National Training Fund will become more and more important in future as it provides incentives for companies to train as well as invest in national training priorities in order to provide more and adequately skilled persons.
Hon. Itah Kandjii-Murangi highlighted several challenges facing the country in achieving the set goals of the fourth national development plan in curbing unemployment such as the exclusion of youth in the labour market.
The first phase of the agreement with the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through GIZ which funds the project was signed in November 2011 to support project Vocational Education and Training projects in general.