WINDHOEK, Aug. 12– Namibia’s Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp on Wednesday called on young people to shift from being consumers of technology to becoming its creators.
Speaking at an International Youth Day event in the southern town of Keetmanshoop, Steenkamp highlighted challenges facing Namibian youth, including unemployment, limited access to education financing and a lack of capital.
“We must become creators of knowledge and creators of solutions,” she said. “Do not fear technology. Learn it, question it, use it and create with it.” The event was held under Namibia’s national theme “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation through Technology and Partnerships.”
Steenkamp said technology should serve a clear purpose and help bridge the divide between rural and urban communities, regardless of young people’s backgrounds or where they live.
As part of efforts to address educational inequalities, Steenkamp launched the Namibia Learning Passport, a digital learning platform developed in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
She described the initiative as a milestone in Namibia’s digital learning journey. The platform provides online and offline access to educational resources, with a particular focus on young people in underserved and remote areas.
“It opens opportunities to develop digital literacy, entrepreneurship, financial capability, life skills, citizenship and other competencies that are increasingly important in today’s world,” she said.
Steenkamp urged young people to embrace five principles, which are thinking, creating, adapting, leading and contributing. International Youth Day is observed annually on Aug. 12 to recognize the contributions of young people and raise awareness of the challenges they face. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
