Nakayale VTC gets N$38 million facelift
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) has started renovating and expanding the Nakayale Vocational Training Centre (NVTC) near Outapi in the Omusati Region.
This is a N$37.80 million project and the NTA appointed Kamau Architects and Associates as the principal agent.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) appointed Africa Civil Engineering, in a joint venture with China State Construction Engineering Corporation, as the main contractor. According to NTA chief executive Jerry Beukes, the project includes a general technology workshop, a building technology workshop, a changing room for trainees, a water tower, and a block of three classrooms with a resource centre.
Site preparation, comprising earthworks, road works, water and drainage reticulation, started on Monday and is expected to be completed by early 2021.
“The NTA, under the guidance of the higher education ministry, has adopted a comprehensive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) transformation and expansion strategy, which prioritises both the construction of new public vocational training centres (VTCs) in regions where they already exist, as well as the expansion or upgrading of existing ones,” said Beukes.
“This strategy assigns significant priority to diversifying current VTC programmes offering as well as capacitating them to offer programmes at higher levels on the National Qualification Framework, particularly Levels 4 and 5, that will enable trainees to begin specialising in specific trades or occupation.”
The Nakayale VTC was established in August 2011 and is currently offering only hospitality, tourism and office administration and electrical general.
Beukes said the expansion project would ensure that it became a centre of specialisation in electrical engineering and information and communication technology (ICT).
Omusati governor Erginus Endjala commended the NTA and the higher education ministry for the expansion and upgrading of the Nakayale VTC.
He said since its establishment in 2011 the centre had been in high demand but offered limited choice. He said when it started in August 2011, it had only 40 trainees and five trainers offering two courses, hospitality and tourism and office administration.
Currently it has 284 trainees, with electrical general introduced in 2016.
“This type of expansion and transformation of the VET sector shows that VET skills are one of the wisest career choices for anyone, and do not forget that it also opens the door to diverse and exciting career opportunities.
“This will give young people the opportunity to acquire a qualification that is valued in the labour market because they learn by doing the real work that is expected by industry,” said Endjala.
“The centre managed to introduce Level 3 to all its trades. In efforts to accommodate more trainees, the centre acquired a block of three prefabricated classrooms, but due to increased intake, the NVTC started renting space in town to accommodate the electrical general trainees and office administration Level 3.”
The minister of higher education, training and innovation, Itah Kandjii-Murangi, was also present at the event.
ILENI NANDJATO
This is a N$37.80 million project and the NTA appointed Kamau Architects and Associates as the principal agent.
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN) appointed Africa Civil Engineering, in a joint venture with China State Construction Engineering Corporation, as the main contractor. According to NTA chief executive Jerry Beukes, the project includes a general technology workshop, a building technology workshop, a changing room for trainees, a water tower, and a block of three classrooms with a resource centre.
Site preparation, comprising earthworks, road works, water and drainage reticulation, started on Monday and is expected to be completed by early 2021.
“The NTA, under the guidance of the higher education ministry, has adopted a comprehensive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) transformation and expansion strategy, which prioritises both the construction of new public vocational training centres (VTCs) in regions where they already exist, as well as the expansion or upgrading of existing ones,” said Beukes.
“This strategy assigns significant priority to diversifying current VTC programmes offering as well as capacitating them to offer programmes at higher levels on the National Qualification Framework, particularly Levels 4 and 5, that will enable trainees to begin specialising in specific trades or occupation.”
The Nakayale VTC was established in August 2011 and is currently offering only hospitality, tourism and office administration and electrical general.
Beukes said the expansion project would ensure that it became a centre of specialisation in electrical engineering and information and communication technology (ICT).
Omusati governor Erginus Endjala commended the NTA and the higher education ministry for the expansion and upgrading of the Nakayale VTC.
He said since its establishment in 2011 the centre had been in high demand but offered limited choice. He said when it started in August 2011, it had only 40 trainees and five trainers offering two courses, hospitality and tourism and office administration.
Currently it has 284 trainees, with electrical general introduced in 2016.
“This type of expansion and transformation of the VET sector shows that VET skills are one of the wisest career choices for anyone, and do not forget that it also opens the door to diverse and exciting career opportunities.
“This will give young people the opportunity to acquire a qualification that is valued in the labour market because they learn by doing the real work that is expected by industry,” said Endjala.
“The centre managed to introduce Level 3 to all its trades. In efforts to accommodate more trainees, the centre acquired a block of three prefabricated classrooms, but due to increased intake, the NVTC started renting space in town to accommodate the electrical general trainees and office administration Level 3.”
The minister of higher education, training and innovation, Itah Kandjii-Murangi, was also present at the event.
ILENI NANDJATO
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