The current phase of the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training in Namibia Project (ProVET) project was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to a value of 9 million Euros at the end of last year and began on 1 April 2018 for a duration of 30 months
WINDHOEK, Namibia, May 24, 2018,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Yesterday (24 April 2018), Namibian stakeholders, such as the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), the Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union celebrated the handing over of the E-Learning Resource Centre to the “EU Training Hub” at Valombola Vocational Training Centre (VVTC) as part of an action to support Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Namibia. The event was officiated by Mr. Hinandjovo Muashekele, Centre Manager of Valombola VTC, and attended by various stakeholders, including local business owners in the region.
TVET as contribution to sustainable economic development
The EU Training Hub is an initiative that is implemented by the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training in Namibia Project (ProVET), a joint technical cooperation project of the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). The German Government has been engaged in supporting TVET in Namibia through ProVET since 2012. It complements the development cooperation between Namibia and Germany in the priority area of sustainable economic development. The current phase of the ProVET project was commissioned by the BMZ to a value of 9 million Euros at the end of last year and began on 1 April 2018 for a duration of 30 months. The European Union supports the establishment of the EU Training Hub through a co-financing agreement with GIZ to the tune of 7.6 million Euros (from July 2016 to March 2020).
EU Training Hub for increased access to TVET
The EU Training Hub aims at facilitatin an increased Access to TVET and improving the quality of vocational training within a cluster of vocational training centres in northern Namibia, namely Nakayale, Eenhana and Valombola VTCs. The idea of the EU Training Hub is to ensure resource sharing and joint planning amongst the three vocational training centres in an effort to create centres of specialization that offer diversified training on higher National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels in cooperation with the private sector in order to respond even better to the needs of the Namibian economy. This involves refurbishing and equipping workshops to support quality training and create more room for trainees as well as the procurement of training equipment that will be used for the training of trainers in areas of specialization. The activities are in line with NTA’s TVET Transformation and Expansion Strategy as well as Namibia’s development plans such as NDP 5, Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan.
With the financial support of the EU, modern IT equipment as well as capacity development measures for TVET-Trainers is provided for the three VTCs. As a result, it is now possible to utilize modern methodology of E-Learning to enhance teaching and learning practices across the Training Hub, which will make it easier for trainees and trainers to access training information anywhere. Although the handing over event takes place at Valombola VTC, it should be noted that all three VTCs now have a fully equipped resource centre and this handover represents handing over of equipment and E-Learning facilities at all three Vocational Training Centres within the Hub.
One of the key aims: skilled labour force for Namibia
At the event, Mr. Achim Schaffert, Head of Cooperation Counsellor at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Namibia, said: “One of the main factors related to poverty in Namibia is the high unemployment rate, with women and young people, being the most affected. Similarly there is a serious shortage of skilled labour in most sectors. One of our key aims with the training hub is to contribute to having a skilled labour force that will be able to find or create job opportunities”.
This occasion can be seen as an important step towards the transformation of the three centres of the EU-Training Hub into centres of excellence. The joint support to the establishment of the Hub, implemented by GIZ and NTA and with the continued financial support of the EU, will continue until March 2020.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany – Windhoek.
