Vision 2030 puts emphasis on human resources development as key to realising the country’s long-term growth plan. It specifies the broader strategic framework transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy, demanding a skilled and competitive workforce.
By Catherine Sasman
WINDHOEK
A critical constraint to the growth and development of Namibia’s economy is a shortage of skills. Adding to this dire situation is the threat posed by HIV/AIDS on the country’s workforce.
Moreover, although the education system has since independence been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the national budget, ongoing criticism has it that its output – the levels and quality of educational skills – is all but satisfactory.
However, the Namibian Government is fully cognisant of the fact that an effective education and training system is fundamental to generating the skills and knowledge necessary for the country to prosper and compete in international markets.
A high skills level among the country’s workers will similarly soften the impact of poverty and social inequity.
During NDP 2
Productivity, which is viewed as the real driver of growth, took a sharp dive during the second national development plan period.
The total factor productivity (TFP) declined from 2.5 percent during 1991 to 1997 to a dismal 0.5 percent during 1997 and 2000.
Although the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has registered a growth average of 4.5 percent per annum during the NDP2 period, it falls short of getting the country on a steady path for the realisation of Vision 2030.
Without acceleration in economic growth, stated the Namibian Government, it is difficult to create additional jobs, especially those that signal productivity growth, to reduce poverty and attain equitable social development.
It stated that productivity growth, particularly higher value-added productivity – is expected to increase Namibia’s gains from the export of natural resources in processed form. It is further expected to improve local investment returns, thus reducing domestic capital outflows.
A key impediment to productivity growth is the shortage of skilled workers at varying levels.
For example, the public and private sectors registered a shortage in qualified artisans and technicians. At a higher level, there is a shortage of managers (business managers), engineers, medical doctors, researchers, and technical leadership.
Namibia further received low international competitive ratings due to its inability to meet the demand for skilled workers, the low capacity to absorb existing technology at company level, and low investment in research and development.
The country’s international competitivenes has further declined during 2005 to 2007.
Similarly, total employment has declined from 431 849 in 2000 to 401 203 in 2004. In 2004, the unemployment rate with those without education was 10 percent. The unemployment rate among those with primary education was 34 percent, and those with senior secondary education were 16 percent. One percent of those with some technical training found themselves without a job, and a fraction of those with tertiary education was jobless.
The demand, said the National Planning Commission, is for education and training.
How to Provide an Adequate Supply of Qualified, Productive and Competitive Labour Under NDP3.
The strategies set out under the National Development Plan 3 are to have a pro-poor expansion of opportunities for high quality senior secondary education and market responsive vocational education and training.
The aim is also to expand pre-entry programmes for tertiary education and training, and to enhance the creation and application of knowledge and technology.
Namibia ranks among the top eight countries in the world that spend the highest share of public funding on education.
But the country still battles to improve its quality of education, with the Namibian Government acknowledging that all levels of education needs strengthening and expansion.
Another important component in human resource development is on-the-job training inside and outside of the country.
Cognisance is also taken as far as vocational training is concerned. Key challenges here are management capacity responsive to employers’ needs, to decentralise public skills for improved local requirements, to build the quality of training, and to reduce reliance on Government funding.
Currently, on three percent of those completing Grade 10 can enter vocational training centers.
As far as tertiary education is concerned, one of the biggest challenges is the unequal distribution of Internet access among the different economic and regional groupings.
Government’s ICT Policy in Education and the E-Government Policy for the public service attempts to address this discrepancy.
Education
The various educational levels include Early Childhood Development (ECD), pre-primary schooling, formal general education (Grades 1 to 12), higher education, vocational education and training, education for out-of-school youths and adults, and life-long learning.
ECD and pre-primary schooling have a significant impact on the performance of children in the basic education programmes.
The challenge for ECD and pre-primary education is the accessibility and affordability to disadvantaged communities.
General education provides for the employment of trainable people and a flow to tertiary or vocational levels.
The Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), which is a semi-autonomous institution, provides an alternative secondary education programme to about 25ǟ