The Managing Director of High Economic Intelligence, Salomo Hei believes vocational training could be part of the solution to improve the quality of education in the country.

Salomo Hei addressed a Nedbank economic breakfast panel discussion, held at Swakopmund.

Hei says Namibia has worked hard to improve access to basic education, but there is still significant work to be done.

It is imperative that government ensures education is adequately resourced he added.

Hei added that poverty and the high unemployment rate are exacerbated by career choices not aligned with, or responsive to market demands. 

He says there is a need to offer quality education, which will ensure innovation and digital skills in the education system to prepare the youth for future opportunities.

"We should open up the avenue towards vocational training at the Grade 8 level then we could start absorbing learners who are stronger in more of the technical side and channel them toward vocational training and then still maintain the schooling system for those that wish to continue with school because if you are able to develop skills at that level you are creating a workforce that can be productive".

In an effort to improve education, Nedbank Namibia has donated N$250 000 to the Rössing Foundation's mobile laboratory, for science and mathematics.

This year, the bank targets reaching 8000 learners and 300 teachers at rural schools nationwide to establish mobile laboratories. 

In order to raise funds for the creation of the laboratories, the bank will hold the Good Golf Series at Swakopmund, Henties Bay and Walvis Bay in August and September 2023