Albertina Nakale
WINDHOEK – Higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi says that technical and vocational training has for too long been neglected.
“For far too long, technical and vocational education and training has been the neglected stepchild of our overall education system. As a country, we have realised that this neglect has to stop and that we need to transform and expand [technical and vocational training] and tap into the enormous potential it offers us to prosper as a nation,” she said.
Kandjii-Murangi made the remarks last week when she appointed and inaugurated the board of directors of the state-owned Namibia National Training Organisation, which operates as the Windhoek Vocational Training Centre.
She said the Namibian vision for vocational training requires aggressive investments in growing the local training market and to free up more opportunities for quality training. She said the vision is informed by an overwhelming body of evidence, which shows that training quality and trainee performance are inextricably linked.
“Together, Namibians need to work hard and ensure that the country catches up with the current, and adequately provide for the future, demand. And once we do, we need to work even harder to ensure that we keep pace with evolving expectations of our nation,” she explained.
New board members of the Windhoek Windhoek Vocational Training Centre are Dr Leena Kloppers, as chairperson, Patrick Xoagub, as deputy chairperson, Webster Gonzo, Anthea Rietz, Agatha Ashilelo, Naftal Shigwedha, Andrew Ndishishi and Paulus Haukongo who is also manager of the training centre.
The institution started as a project initiated by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany before the independence of Namibia and was transferred to the Namibian Government thereafter. The term of the board is for three years, with immediate effect from June 4 this year until June 3, 2021.
The minister urged the board to study the training centre’s charter which outlines the responsibilities of the board regarding critical aspects in accelerating the quality of vocational training courses offered.
These include directing the policies of the centre, attending to staff matters in co-ordination with other relevant bodies and approving the rules and regulations of the centre, the scheme of service, salary structure and other conditions of service for employees.