A group of mechanics working on a car.

Providing better employment and development opportunities through an improved and expanded TVET system

Promotion of Technical Vocational Education and Training III (ProTVET) Project

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  • Client

    German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

  • Co-financier

    European Union (EU)

  • Country
  • Political sponsors

    More

  • Runtime

    2022 to 2024

  • Products and expertise

    Economic development and employment

Participant in the WorldSkills Africa competition accepting her prize.

Context

Namibia’s technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sector remains supply driven. The industry’s demand for higher-quality vocational education and training, including new and reformed qualifications, is not adequately addressed. Namibian TVET institutions have limited capacity to respond meaningfully to labour-market needs and can only absorb one-third of applicants annually. Youth without secondary education, especially from marginalised rural communities, do not have equal access to quality training. Barriers include a lack of data and information, of accommodation and transport, as well as prohibitive training costs. Improving the TVET system is one of Namibia’s core development strategies to reduce youth unemployment. Improving the TVET system is explicitly referred to in the country’s development goals. The Cabinet approved a revised TVET policy and implementation plan in March 2021. The policy emphasises that quality improvement and a substantial expansion of the TVET system can only be achieved through a joint endeavour by the state, civil society actors and private sector.

H.E. Ambassador Herbert Beck unveiling the official plaque at Valombola VTC during the inauguration of a new training workshop for automotive mechatronics.

Objective

The Namibian TVET system offers qualifications with higher labour market relevance for more people and the governance of the sector is improved.

Approach

ProTVET supports theTVET sector through activities in the following three areas:

  1. Improving the regulatory and steering structures of the sector in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation (MHETI) to increase the TVET system’s efficiency.
  2. Expanding the provision of labour-market-oriented TVET with a new strategy for centres of excellence, more robust self-governance of public vocational training centres (VTCs) and closer coordination with the private sector, especially regarding work-integrated learning.
  3. Consolidating the institutional capabilities for gender-responsive education, training and further development of TVET trainers and personnel.

Last update: July 2023