There is nothing more fulfilling than to serve the country and influence its developmental trajectory. Doing so while serving the youth can be extra rewarding as one can count oneself among those who contributed to the socio-economic upliftment of humanity. This observation was made by Nicolas Tembwe in an interview with New Era.
Tembwe is the director for youth development in the Ministry of Sports, Youth and National Service since his return to the civil service on 1 June 2021 – but prior to that, he served the government as a teacher, head of department, and senior education officer for 15 years from 2001 to 2015.
In his current role, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership and management of the Directorate of Youth Development, which includes budget control and ensuring compliance to and implementation of legislation and policy frameworks related to youth development and empowerment as per the mandate of the ministry. Tembwe is further responsible for the provision of social empowerment programmes and training at the ministry’s multipurpose youth resource centres across the country, as well as other skills training centres.
“As the director for youth development, my role also includes liaising and creating synergies with relevant stakeholders such as our two state-owned enterprises (SoEs), the National Youth Service (NYS) and the National Youth Council (NYC), development partners, SADC and AU agencies responsible for youth matters in the implementation of skills development, youth development, entrepreneurship and other youth development programmes aimed at creating opportunities for the youth in all the 14 regions and 121 constituencies of our republic,” Tembwe revealed, further narrating that his role also includes assisting the ministry’s executive director in ensuring the execution of the ministry’s mandate in line with the relevant regulatory and policy frameworks.
But while he makes his job seem like a walk in the park, thanks to his vast expertise and work experience, it comes with a set of challenges. The equal distribution of resources is one of those challenges.
Said Tembwe; “Operating at the executive level in government comes with immense pressure, especially considering that our ministry is highly centralised in terms of decision-making. But we have a footprint in all 14 regions, and when making decisions, one has to consider the national picture. The challenging part is one strikes a balance in ensuring that the limited financial resources that are allocated to the directorate are shared equitably among the regions to support the implementation of the youth development programmes in the respective regions, and to ensure that we deliver on our mandate.
“Having served the education and training sector over the past 21 years as a teacher of commerce (Accounting and Business Studies), head of department, senior education officer for planning and development and eventually as a manager in the technical vocational, education and training (TVET) sector, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in strategic leadership, planning, to design and implement education and training programmes for young people, including social development and entrepreneurial support. This expertise is relevant to my current job, given the wealth of experience that I bring to the ministry,” Tembwe observed, adding that the years he spent in leadership and management roles have exposed him to corporate governance principles and strategic management, which are very key aspects that any management cadre in the public service should be cognisant of.
The beginning
Born and bred at Sikanjabuka, Katima Mulilo Rural Constituency in the Zambezi region, Tembwe started his career in the Oshikoto region as a teacher in 2001 after obtaining a teaching diploma from the then Windhoek College of Education (now UNAM Khomasdal Campus). In 2009, he was promoted to the position of head of department at a school in the Zambezi region. He went on to serve as the senior education officer in the planning and development sub-division in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture at the Oshikoto Education Directorate in 2013 before joining the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) at the Valombola Training Centre in the Oshana region as the head of trainee support.
Passionate about education, Tembwe holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration, Planning and Social Policy from the University of Cape Town, a Bachelor’s of Education (B Ed Honours) in Education, Training and Development from the University of Johannesburg, and a Further Diploma in Educational Management (FDE) from the Rand Afrikaans University.
“Also, I have earned various certificates, which include a certificate in education rights from the Witwatersrand University, Certificate in Management of Training Institutions from ITC (ILO), Certificate in Employment Services for Youth from ITC (ILO), and a Certificate in Corporate Governance from the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM),” he continued.
Being a civil servant
While many folks would prefer the civil service to be a mere launching pad for their respective careers before moving on to other challenges in the private sector, with Tembwe it is seemingly the other way around.
He maintained that he decided to rejoin the public service in order to continue making a positive contribution to the socio-economic drive of Namibia through offering his knowledge and skills gained over the years in various spheres of work in the education and training field. “It is also for the pride of the country. It is crucial for one to serve the nation, and be part of the developmental team of the country. One has always dreamt of serving the country and offering the expertise that contributes to nation-building, especially at the decision-making level,” he stated.
He further commended the public service for having what he referred to as well-defined operational policies and procedures, and a clear demarcation of work, and how this work should be carried out to realise the strategic objectives of the office, ministry or agency.
“In addition, it is fulfilling working with the public and having an understanding that your everyday decisions have a bearing on the lives of many people across the country,” Tembwe said.
He denounced the perception that civil servants are incompetent as false and not a reflection of the reality on the ground, citing that had this been the case, the entire government system would have collapsed a few years after independence.
“However, Namibia’s governance system stands out in SADC and in Africa because there is a very strong governance architecture in that government departments, ministries and agencies have put in place systems such as the performance management system to monitor and track the performances of all public service employees. Equally commendable is that the public service over the years has attracted highly-qualified Namibians in strategic positions, including at operational level, who run the affairs of O/M/As, and this has proven that the public service can be run efficiently, despite the sentiments that public service is highly bureaucratic,” Tembwe stressed.
Not leaving anytime soon
The outspoken Tembwe did not mince his words when he revealed that he is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
“Well, I just rejoined the public service after being away for six years. I plan to stay and serve the public and the youth fraternity for several years. Of course, with my ambition to further venture into strategic studies, one may exit after six years or so,” Tembwe said, revealing that he normally spends on average six years in one position before looking at possible promotions.
“I do not know what the future holds, but one may stay a little longer as the age clock is also fast moving and before you know it, one would have reached the golden age of 60,” he noted.
And looking at his list of accolades, his retirement – when it finally arrives – will be well-earned. Queried on what he regards as some of his achievements at the ministry, he commended all stakeholders who were involved in the development and delivery of the newly-revised National Youth Policy III.
Said Tembwe: “Upon joining the ministry in June 2021, I was immediately tasked by the top management to lead and coordinate the launch of the National Youth Policy III. After a month in office, I managed to lead and direct a team of highly-motivated staff of the Directorate of Youth Development, and working closely with our state-owned enterprises, the NYS and the NYC, including our development partner UNFPA and other stakeholders, our minister successfully launched the policy on 21 July 2021, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic wave that was experienced in that season.”
Living in a fast-evolving world, Tembwe said, one must keep up with the changes. To this end, he is planning to gain new skills by venturing into strategic studies to advance his career. This, he added, will enable him to be up-to-date with the ever-changing trends of the job market, and eventually be able to distinguish himself among other public service managers over the years to come.
“I had previously harboured the
ambition to study in the field of international relations and diplomacy, and with my current job where one is required to regularly attend high-level sessions, locally and abroad, I am inclined to resume my long-lost dream, if time will allow,” he stated.