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Home / Over 250 ‘struggle kids’ to be trained in Zambezi
Over 250 ‘struggle kids’ to be trained in Zambezi
2016-10-24Staff Report 2 Windhoek - A total of 251 children born during the liberation struggle (CLS) are set to undergo six months of civic and vocational training at the Simon Mutumba Police Training Centre in Zambezi Region in order to make them employable. The participants, who left for Zambezi last week, will first undergo two months civic training while the remaining four months will be for vocational training. A statement issued by Nangula Mbako, permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) explained that the centre was availed by the safety and security ministry to be used for training. She said trainees are from Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Kavango East, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions. President Hage Geingob recently recommended that N$11.3 million be availed from the Development Fund of the Social Security Commission for training unemployed members of this group. The money will cater for training, uniforms, catering services, training equipment, accommodation and an allowance for six months. Another group of 260 students is currently being trained at Berg Aukas in technical and vocational areas such as motor mechanics, plumbing and welding. They are also being trained in building, construction, electrical installation and electronics in order to make them employable as well as to employ themselves and fully participate in the economy of the country. A further 54 ‘struggle kids’ are undergoing training at NIMT in Arandis. Mbako explained that the initiative to assist these youths is not the only programme addressing youth skill development in the country. “This is a specific Cabinet directive designed to address the plight of the children of the liberation struggle in addition to the entire spectrum of other youth programmes in the country,” said Mbako. She said government has multi-faceted programmes to develop the youth of Namibia and equip them with relevant knowledge and skills through vocational training centres up to higher institutions of learning such as the University of Namibia (Unam) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), as well as universities abroad. “The committee is still in the process of identifying more suitable training centres for the remaining CLS. Government is therefore appealing to those who have not yet accepted the government’s offer to seize the opportunity which is being implemented to solve their plight,” stated Mbako. Group leader of the ‘struggle kids’ in Windhoek, Jerry Hamukwaya, told New Era yesterday that about 11 of their members left for training in Zambezi Region on Friday. Hamukwaya added that among 370 renaming members some have qualifications which they submitted to the OPM last week, and they are waiting for feedback as to what will be done in their case as they want jobs and not training. Oshakati group leader Ileni Nanhonda added that 16 members also left for training last week. 2016-10-24Staff Report 2
