Stakeholders in the Zambezi Region have welcomed the proposed National Policy on Micro-Credentials as it recognises practical skills, improve professional competencies and open pathways to formal qualifications.

The views emerged during a consultation hosted by NQA in collaboration with GIZ .

NQA Executive for Qualifications, Joseph Amunyela, says the policy is intended to open doors for people who have been excluded from formal education and provide opportunities for professionals.

"Namibia is so fortunate that within our qualifications framework we already have qualifications and other small awards that exist. But even with those small awards, what we call the unit standard under our TVET system, many people were unable to access it, and they think about a programme that has mathematics, but your very own person who is standing by the road doing crafting every day is unable to access that programme because of mathematics and the requirement of English."

A recent UNAM graduate, Precious Nsundano says the initiative could provide specialised training among practising professionals.

"But there's also one concern that was not addressed, but we were given assurance that they would come back to it should a need arise, and that is the very real issue of finance. Because currently we have a funding body, and that is NSFAF, but NSFAF has specific standards and requirements that they need from students in order to meet the said demand."

Katima Circuit Education Inspector Rosco Lukubwe says the policy is long overdue, advising employers to play a key role in identifying the skills they need.

"But when it's the reverse part, where the commercially driven entities create programmes for certification purposes, it becomes commercial, and we have an issue of oversupply of people that are trained in this particular skill, and then they remain unemployed for a very long time."