VET Levy funds finally set for VTC expansion
The VET (vocational educational training) Levy, after being launched two years ago in April, has made available little under N$40 million for vocational training in the country.
The CEO of the Namibian Training Authority (NTA), Jerry Beukes signed the VET Levy key priority training and funding agreements with ten recognised organisations in Windhoek yesterday.
The CEO described the event as another milestone for the NTA under one of the flagship programmes called the Vocational Education and Training Levy’s Key Priority Training Grant Funding Window.
According to the NTA’s estimation, 901 young Namibians stand to benefit from the programme, at a value of N$27.8 million through various training programmes across a broad spectrum of vocational training fields.
The first category of training fields involves approved intervention areas for funding as part of the demand-led training interventions with several local training institutions.
The programmes to be taught at the seven training authorities include construction and mining, cross cutting, manufacturing, health care and social services, hospitality and tourism, wholesale and retail trade, telecommunications, and business and financial services.
The organisations that have been entrusted with the task of training are DAPP Vocational Centre, Namcol, Phillipi Trust Namibia, Wolwedans Academy, Business School of Excellence, Triumphant College and Tulipohamba Training Academy.
The second category involves approved intervention areas of funding as part of support and capacity building interventions with three local training institutions, totalling N$8.7 million.
The training institutions are going to be DAPP Vocational Centre, Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) and the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired (NFVI). DAPP will receive N$3.4 million for production units and innovative approaches to training delivery, COSDEF N$3.3 million for equipment, minor repairs and renovations to three COSDEF training centres, and the Federation for the Visually Impaired N$1.9 million for the continuity of the rehabilitation training for 45 visually impaired persons at the federation’s service centre.
The total value of the interventions for both categories represent an investment of N$36.5 million. According to Beukes, the funds allocated for this programme, make up about 35% of all funds collected through the VET Levy for investment in developing of skills and capacities’ in high demand, in prioritised sectors of the economy.
“The services of the beneficiary training institutions were solicited through an open and transparent procurement process, through which accredited training providers were invited in October 2015,” Beukes shared on the steps taken during the tendering process.
The Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired previously funded the NFVI, but its financial support ended on 30 December 2015, which has led to the suspension of the rehabilitation training programmes from April this year. Through NTA’s programme, more visually impaired Namibians can be rehabilitated, although further funding for their efforts has been made to possible sponsors.
Beukes said that the growth of the Vocational Education and Training Levy had resulted in a more reliable national funding model to support the growth and expansion of the local technical and vocational training markets to be [of] better quality and reach more people.
In closing Beukes took a moment to call on all training institution partners to ensure that they use the funds for the intended purpose and to ensure the successful implementation of their agreements.
“The training of people is your core business. You have decided to enter into this business, because you believe in the empowerment of people through skills and knowledge. You are our partners,” Beukes concluded.
Both the national chairperson of the NTA, Patrick Swartz and the CEO, encouraged young and talented Namibians wishing to enter the Vocational Education and Training stream to enrol for the training opportunities that will result from these agreements.
KEITH VRIES
The CEO of the Namibian Training Authority (NTA), Jerry Beukes signed the VET Levy key priority training and funding agreements with ten recognised organisations in Windhoek yesterday.
The CEO described the event as another milestone for the NTA under one of the flagship programmes called the Vocational Education and Training Levy’s Key Priority Training Grant Funding Window.
According to the NTA’s estimation, 901 young Namibians stand to benefit from the programme, at a value of N$27.8 million through various training programmes across a broad spectrum of vocational training fields.
The first category of training fields involves approved intervention areas for funding as part of the demand-led training interventions with several local training institutions.
The programmes to be taught at the seven training authorities include construction and mining, cross cutting, manufacturing, health care and social services, hospitality and tourism, wholesale and retail trade, telecommunications, and business and financial services.
The organisations that have been entrusted with the task of training are DAPP Vocational Centre, Namcol, Phillipi Trust Namibia, Wolwedans Academy, Business School of Excellence, Triumphant College and Tulipohamba Training Academy.
The second category involves approved intervention areas of funding as part of support and capacity building interventions with three local training institutions, totalling N$8.7 million.
The training institutions are going to be DAPP Vocational Centre, Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) and the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired (NFVI). DAPP will receive N$3.4 million for production units and innovative approaches to training delivery, COSDEF N$3.3 million for equipment, minor repairs and renovations to three COSDEF training centres, and the Federation for the Visually Impaired N$1.9 million for the continuity of the rehabilitation training for 45 visually impaired persons at the federation’s service centre.
The total value of the interventions for both categories represent an investment of N$36.5 million. According to Beukes, the funds allocated for this programme, make up about 35% of all funds collected through the VET Levy for investment in developing of skills and capacities’ in high demand, in prioritised sectors of the economy.
“The services of the beneficiary training institutions were solicited through an open and transparent procurement process, through which accredited training providers were invited in October 2015,” Beukes shared on the steps taken during the tendering process.
The Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired previously funded the NFVI, but its financial support ended on 30 December 2015, which has led to the suspension of the rehabilitation training programmes from April this year. Through NTA’s programme, more visually impaired Namibians can be rehabilitated, although further funding for their efforts has been made to possible sponsors.
Beukes said that the growth of the Vocational Education and Training Levy had resulted in a more reliable national funding model to support the growth and expansion of the local technical and vocational training markets to be [of] better quality and reach more people.
In closing Beukes took a moment to call on all training institution partners to ensure that they use the funds for the intended purpose and to ensure the successful implementation of their agreements.
“The training of people is your core business. You have decided to enter into this business, because you believe in the empowerment of people through skills and knowledge. You are our partners,” Beukes concluded.
Both the national chairperson of the NTA, Patrick Swartz and the CEO, encouraged young and talented Namibians wishing to enter the Vocational Education and Training stream to enrol for the training opportunities that will result from these agreements.
KEITH VRIES
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