Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK – Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister I-Ben Nashandi yesterday said government will soon announce the new public service internship framework that has been under review since the beginning of this year.
Government in a circular dated 15 January this year, requested government offices, ministries and agencies to suspend internship programmes.
At the time, the announcement unsettled many people, particularly students and new graduates seeking internship placement opportunities in government.
Nashandi contacted for update on the issue yesterday said, “The suspension was put in place to allow for a review in the internship framework in the public service. I’m pleased to inform you that we are at the end of the review process, thereafter rather soon, the government will announce the new framework.”
Meanwhile, according to the latest Namibia Labour Force survey by the Namibia Statistic Agency (NSA), the youth unemployment rate for 15 years to 34 years for 2018 jumped to 46.1 percent from 43.4 percent recorded in 2016 and urban employment remained literally static between 2016 and 2018.
The survey released in March this year said however, with regards to the youth in the age range of 19 to 34 years, the unemployment rate is 44.8 percent.
“While we have a significant increase in female employment, from 318,615 in 2016 to 364,234 in 2018, we only had a very slight increase in the male segment. In 2016, male employment figures slightly increased from 358,270 to 361,508 in 2018, the rural indicators show an increase from 261,707 to 310,154,” Statistician General Alex Shimuafeni said at the time.
He said the survey’s objectives are to provide up to date labour market information for planning and decision making. The data provided consists of industry information as well as employment and unemployment indicators.