Rundu:The Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA), in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), conducted a stakeholder consultation in the Kavango East Region on Wednesday to gather input on a draft policy regarding micro-credentials.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the policy is designed to acknowledge specific skills and competencies obtained through short, targeted learning programs. Joseph Amunyela, the NQA's Head of Qualifications, emphasized that the policy intends to provide opportunities for individuals to gain recognized skills, especially for those without access to formal education. He noted that not all short courses would qualify as micro-credentials; they must satisfy the Namibia Qualifications Framework (NQF) standards, including defined learning outcomes, credible assessments, and quality assurance.
Amunyela explained that the policy could help alleviate local industry and community skill shortages by formally recognizing competencies that may not be demonstrated through conventional qualifications. He urged participants to evaluate the draft policy based on the region's specific needs, such as employer and community skill requirements.
Participants were encouraged to identify gaps in the policy, suggest possible implementation challenges, and recommend solutions to enhance the document. Amunyela emphasized that the policy should reflect the views of stakeholders, inviting feedback on what aspects of the draft are sensible or potentially problematic.
The Kavango East consultation followed an initial engagement in the Zambezi Region and is part of a nationwide effort to incorporate stakeholder feedback before finalizing the draft policy. Amunyela indicated that the inputs collected would contribute to a validation process set for the first week of December 2026, where regional representatives would review the revised draft before it is submitted for Cabinet consideration.
Stakeholders were also urged to ensure that the policy addresses Namibia's skills development needs and establishes practical pathways for recognizing competencies acquired through various learning modalities.