Vice President, Dr Nangolo Mbumba has expressed satisfaction with the skills portrayed at the just-ended WorldSkills Africa competition which took place at Swakopmund.
In his remarks at the event’s official closing and award ceremony Saturday night, Mbumba noted that competitors have showcased skills that align with the continent’s Agenda 2063 – Africa’s blueprint for sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development.
“It is a vision predicated on the development of Africa’s people as its most important resource and one which recognises the transformation potential of technical and vocational education and training (TVET), in leveraging Africa’s economies,” Mbumba stated.
He added that as a continental conglomeration of the WorldSkills International movement, WorldSkills Africa is positioned within the structures of the African Union, to support, facilitate, manage and implement skills development projects, competitions and activities with WorldSkills International and key stakeholders.
In her remarks at the same event Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi said the competition lived up to its billing as a capacity-building platform from which to gain more traction in the collective endeavour to upskill the African continent.
“This event has once again brought to the forefront the importance of the TVET sector in our continent’s development. Concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the world of work, TVET is a tool for enhancing productivity and reducing poverty,” she added.
She however expressed that it remains Africa’s collective responsibility to pursue with great commitment the desired goals of reducing structural unemployment, improving productivity and ultimately facilitating economic growth and poverty reduction.
Euphrasia Mulenga, WorldSkills Africa Representative has appealed to more African countries to join the WorldSkills movement to support the African youth through TVET and to empower each other as an African union.
“The world is not complete without Africa and having 55 countries in Africa with less than 10 member countries of WorldSkills is not enough,” Mulenga said.
More than 90 competitors from nine African countries and a first-ever refugee team competed in 16 different technical and vocational trade areas at this event, which also included an international conference and a careers exhibition.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
