STAFF WRITER
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the developing oil and gas as well as the green hydrogen industries will play a vital role in absorbing the growing number of graduates from Namibian tertiary institutions.
She was speaking at the graduation ceremony for the University of Namibia at a local hotel on Wednesday.
“Namibia will be one of the oil producing countries. We are also positioning ourselves in the fields of green energy, clean energy and green Hydrogen as well as prioritising value addition to our rare earth minerals. Surely, we will need qualified Namibians in all these sectors,” the President said.
Nandi -Ndaitwah said institutions of higher learning such as UNAM, must not be found wanting in their core mandate of creating a knowledge based economy that can sustain the skills needs of the new industries.
“Training in these fields must start today, if it has not already started yesterday,” she said.
Since opening its door in 1992, UNAM has seen its enrollment growing 3,639 students to 30,836 students inclusive of Namibians and international students to date.
“Such impressive growth is evidence of the government’s commitment to prioritising quality education and youth empowerment,” Nandi -ndaitwah said.
The President said the government remains committed to providing quality education to every Namibian.
“Education is a core investment in economic growth, social equity, and national development. The future of our country lies in the hands of our young people, who must be properly trained and educated to effectively address issues of inequality and unemployment,” she said.
She said the government has implemented a fully Subsidised Tertiary Education Funding Model (STEFM) covering 100% registration and tuition fees for eligible undergraduate students at all public and private institutions of higher learning as well as Technical and Vocational Training Centers.
“The government has also broadened the student support criteria by increasing the household income limit for non-tuition aid to N$300 000. This reform is aimed at allowing more middle-income families to qualify for financial assistance to further their studies,” she said.
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