WINDHOEK, Sept. 16 — Namibia is overhauling its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to build a workforce equipped for emerging sectors, an official said Tuesday.
Speaking at the National Vocational Education Workshop in Otjiwarongo, north-central Namibia, Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said the government is shifting TVET from a supply-driven to a demand-driven model to better match training with the country’s evolving labor market.
“Our focus is to ensure that TVET responds to current and future skills needs,” she said. “This is why we have appointed a dedicated task force to assess the feasibility of transforming state-owned vocational training centers into technical colleges.”
According to Steenkamp, Namibia has constructed vocational training centers in each of its 14 regions and plans to increase the total number of schools nationwide to more than 2,030 by 2025.
These efforts, she said, demonstrate the government’s commitment to bringing education opportunities closer to communities and improving access for young people.
Steenkamp stressed the need for stronger linkages between pre-vocational education in schools, vocational centers, and higher education institutions to allow students to progress seamlessly through Namibia‘s education system.
The minister acknowledged challenges in the sector, including outdated equipment, limited opportunities, and poor alignment with regional economic needs, but called on participants to develop a sectoral action plan to strengthen both pre-vocational and vocational education.
The two-day workshop brings together regional education directors, vocational centers heads, and policy experts to discuss strategies for strengthening Namibia‘s human capital and boosting youth employment prospects.
