The Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, says Namibia presents a favourable environment for the development of a digital skills industry by harnessing untapped digital potential within the country.

Theofelus made these remarks during a consultative meeting held in collaboration with the e-Governance Academy of Estonia.

The meeting focused on digital skills in Namibia and shared best practises from Estonia.

In this regard, Theofelus, along with others, emphasised the recent partnership with Impact Tank to facilitate the implementation of digital skills programmes throughout the country.

She highlighted that digital skills are essential to achieving progress in e-governance and that achieving this progress requires collaboration among various stakeholders.

Another concern highlighted in the field of basic education in the country is the issue of digital literacy. It has been identified that the lack of internet connectivity, insufficient training provided to teachers, limited budget allocation for computing devices, and limited access to electricity are significant obstacles that impede progress in this area.

A total of over 1,260 schools are connected to the internet, while approximately 700 schools still lack internet connectivity. 

Furthermore, there are 275 schools in the country that do not have access to electricity.

A delegation from Estonia shared their expertise on developing digital skills in Namibia and also provided insights into their experiences during their time in the country.

Estonia boasts a remarkable 99% operation rate for public online services.