Otjiwarongo: Inadequate funding has emerged as one of the key challenges limiting the performance and impact of higher education institutions in the country, as they adapt to the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI). This was highlighted during a week-long stakeholder engagement hosted by the National Council Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Science, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Youth Development in Otjiwarongo.According to Namibia Press Agency, the committee held a media briefing to update the public on the outcomes of the consultations. Committee chairperson Betuel Tjaveondja and vice chairperson Piniel Pakarae indicated that institutions such as the Namibia University of Science and Technology, the National Training Authority, various vocational training institutions, the Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN), Namibia National Students Organisation, the National Council for Higher Education, the Namibia National Teachers Union, and the National Commission o n Research, Science and Technology have identified inadequate funding and limited human resource capacity as major obstacles preventing them from reaching their full potential in the AI era."They recommended a complete re-engineering of education services and the alignment of national development goals and policies with the realities of the AI era, as many of the existing policies are outdated," Tjaveondja stated. Stakeholders also identified shortages of skilled human resources and the need for institutions to align their organisational practices with global developments in AI as areas requiring urgent attention.Pakarae emphasized the need for outdated policies to be reviewed to ensure graduates from Namibia's higher education and training institutions are equipped with the skills and competencies needed to compete in the global labour market. Other members of the committee attending the engagement were Adolf Unona, Mateus Nangahama, and Hercules Jantze.The stakeholder engagement, which started on Mond ay, concludes on Friday afternoon with a presentation from the Public Service Commission (PSC).