The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) has requested approximately N.dollars 420 million to promote and change the negative perceptions about technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Namibia as a field of study.
Higher Education, Training and Innovation Minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi while presenting the N.dollars 3.3 billion (N.dollars 3 325 100 000) budget for the 2022/23 financial year in parliament on Wednesday said the NTA has requested a total of N.dollars 419 543 000 to implement programmes geared towards promoting TVET during the financial year under review.
She said the ministry in collaboration with NTA has implemented programmes such as ‘Live Your Passion,’ and the Skills Competitions, noting that Namibia successfully hosted the largest Africa World Skills Competition in Swakopmund recently, where the country excelled.
The minister indicated that there has been a significant increase in enrolment at TVET institutions with 34 920 trainees who have enrolled for TVET programmes countrywide representing a rise of 38 per cent as compared to 25 137 in 2015.
“There have been deliberate efforts to make TVET relevant and accessible, not only to female trainees but also to the marginalized communities and those living with disabilities. In this regard, the NTA in support of the government’s plan to make TVET inclusive has availed in excess of N.dollars 6 million, over the last three years to support the training of visually impaired citizens, and sign language interpreters,” she indicated.
She noted over 90 private TVET institutions have been awarded and registered for TVET training, in line with the requirements of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), adding that over 600 individual trainers have benefitted from various training interventions covering key occupational areas.
Kandjii-Murangi further noted that the Vocational Education and Training Enterprise Resource Planning Information System that integrates both business and operational support systems, has been implemented to ensure efficient and improved information management and planning.
“The ministry is at an advanced level to unify, consolidate and harmonise the TVET curricula, in an effort to properly align the assessment tools, instruments and teacher education. In this regard a Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) and Modular assessment approaches, including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) have been put in place,” she noted.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
