Noreen Sitali

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Civic Relations and Community Development last week engaged key stakeholders in Otjiwarongo to strengthen the quality, relevance, regulation and coordination of health training in Namibia.

The week-long engagement follows the tabling and discussion of a motion in the National Assembly on the uncontrolled proliferation of nursing schools and health training centres across the country. 

The motion, tabled by Winnie Moongo, was subsequently referred to the committee for a full-scale parliamentary investigation into the state of nursing and health training in Namibia.

The committee’s inquiry seeks to assess the effectiveness, standards and regulatory compliance of health training institutions, with the aim of promoting quality healthcare education and safeguarding professional standards in the sector.

The engagement will review the current status of health training institutions, accreditation systems and regulatory frameworks. 

It will also assess the causes of rising unemployment among health graduates and examine issues such as quality standards, entry requirements, curricula, faculty qualifications, teaching competencies and institutional infrastructure.

“This workshop seeks to understand and possibly review the current accreditation systems, approval processes and regulatory frameworks governing nursing schools and health training centres, with the objective of strengthening the quality, relevance, regulation, coordination and oversight of health training in the country,” said committee chairperson Marlayn Mbakera.

He further noted that the rapid increase in the number of health training institutions nationwide has raised concerns regarding accreditation standards, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, institutional capacity and the alignment of training programmes with national health sector priorities.

Stakeholders participating in the engagement include the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Namibia Qualifications Authority, the Health Professions Councils of Namibia, the National Council for Higher Education, the Nursing Board, the Nurses Union of Namibia, health training institutions, students, as well as the Business and Intellectual Property Authority.

*Noreen Sitali works at Parliament: National Assembly.