SSC Development Fund spending millions on development

THE Social Security Commission (SSC) Development Fund (SSC-DF) was yesterday officially launched by the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare (MOLSW), Immanuel Ngatjizeko who said that the fund has, since its inception, already spent millions on development.

According to SSC Executive Officer Kenandei Tjivikua, the objectives of the fund are to conduct training and employment schemes for socio-economically disadvantaged persons as well as to grant bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to students enrolled at any technical or academic institutions of higher education in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

More than 20 new bursaries were handed over to students from different regions at the launch ceremony, The fund also, according to Tjivikua, aims to prudently promote and facilitate human capital development through training and employment schemes as well as study support programmes for the benefit of the socioeconomically disadvantaged persons.

The Social Security Commission Development Fund has been operating through collaborating with the Ministry of Education, the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) for training and bursaries, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth by promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating job-creation for the Namibian youth. Engineering, Medicine, Social Work and Vocational Training were identified as areas for full SSC-DF Bursary focus.

The fund obtained approval from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MOLSW) to spend N$18.75 million on education over a period of ten years and N$1.454 million has so far been spent on bursaries over the past two years. The SSC-DF is committed to provide full bursaries over ten years to 43 Engineers, 32 Medical Professionals, 20 Social Workers and 70 Artisans.

“The overall impact will be the supply of 165 skilled graduates in these fields.” So far 49 Namibians have benefitted from the bursary scheme which includes eight from the Ohangwena, six from Oshana, six from Omusati, five from Kunene, four from Oshikoto, four from Khomas, four from Caprivi, three from Kavango, three from Erongo, two from Otjozondjupa, two from Karas, one from Hardap and one from the Omaheke Region.

The SSC-DF supported the Science and Academic Success Program (SASP) of the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) to the tune of N$1.5 million. The National Information and Communication Technology Skills Scheme (NISS) also received funding to the tune of N$2 million. The Namibia Youth Credit Scheme received a total grant of N$3.2 million over a period of three years. “This programme follows a holistic approach to credit delivery and delivers an integrated package of training, credit and mentorship.”

The SSC-DF plans to spend N$33.8 million on bursaries for the next five years, N$65.9 million on study loans and N$52 million on employment and training schemes. The fund also plans to register training service providers and development agencies and invite applications for funding.

A total of 24 successful applicants yesterday received bursaries from the bursary scheme of the fund to the total value of N$1.245 million. Challenges that face the fund include stakeholder education and sensitisation, registration training and service providers, forming strategic alliances and securing sufficient funding. Regarding contribution to employment creation, the SSC-DF intends to support the Government’s Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth (TIPEEG) aimed at promoting economic growth and job creation. “In 2010, SSC co-funded the MOLSW’s Integrated Employment Information System to the tune of N$10 million.”

The SSC-DF Regulations and Policy is available online at www.ssc.org.na