WINDHOEK, 11 APR – President Hage Geingob said the facilitation of job creation for young people and the promotion of relevant skills through quality vocational education and training remains a priority.
Geingob said this during his fourth State of the Nation Address on Wednesday.
The president said vocational training enrolment increased from 28 571 in 2017 to 32 120 by the end of March this year.
“This is well ahead of the Harambee Prosperity Plan target of 18 000 enrolments per annum,” he said.
Geingob further announced that 46 000 students enrolled at tertiary institutions in 2017.
He added that the implementation of the Comprehensive Vocational Education Expansion Strategy, which is to be implemented over a 15-year period, has commenced.
Under this strategy, Government plans to establish vocational training centres in all 14 regions of the country.
Geingob said the expansion of the national footprint of training centres will enable young people to enrol in their respective areas of interest.
He noted that a number of infrastructure expansion projects were completed in the 2016/17 financial year, including vocational training centres at Eenhana, Rundu and Gobabis.
Ground-breaking ceremonies also took place at Nkurenkuru in the Kavango East Region and Khorixas in the Kunene Region, marking the commencement of construction of vocational training centres in those areas.
The construction of the Omuthiya and Keetmanshoop centres will commence during the course of this year, while the Kai//Ganaxab Youth Skills Training Centre at Mariental will be transformed into a fully-fledged vocational training centre in 2018.
“We will further explore financing mechanisms for the National Youth Service training centres at Rietfontein and Ondangwa,” Geingob said.
NAMPA
