RUNDU - Deputy Minister of higher education Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo says Namibia needs to understand that its economic growth and progress crucially depends on the availability of a skilled workforce.

She empaphasised that a well-functioning TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) system is best placed to train the skilled workforce which Namibia needs to address its socio-economic development challenges.

Ndjoze-Ojo made the remarks on Friday during a graduation ceremony held at Rundu Vocational Training Centre (RVTC), were 317 trained artisans got their certificates.

“We need to understand that our economic growth and progress depends crucially on the availability of a skilled workforce. There is a growing awareness that accelerated economic development depends on increasing the productive capacity of our industries, and that this in turn depends on developing a TVET system, that provides people with the skills which are needed by our industries and that will provide our citizens with access to employment,” she said.

Ndjoze-Ojo supplemented that TVET is the most crucial avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work.

“Namibia needs skilled workers to fill skills gaps in various sectors of the economy and to drive the national development agenda of improving our global competitiveness. So go forth RVTC class of 2019 and embrace lifelong learning, let the qualifications you receive today not be the summits of your individual academic journeys, continue to learn, take responsibility for your own destiny and teach others along the way and make your unique contribution to yourselves, your communities, country and the world,” she encouraged.