Stakeholders from the education sector are meeting in Windhoek to enhance skills-based education in the 21st century.

The biannual education conference is co-hosted by UNAM's School of Education and the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture.

The three-day conference is being attended by education practitioners from all regions across the country who will dissect traditional learning, and new technologies, and re-align curricula to fit in the 21st century.

The gathering will also discuss the importance of research for development and producing graduates with relevant skills.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UNAM, Professor Frednard Gideon, says traditional degree programmes fail to prepare students for the workplace and also take too long to complete.

Skills get outdated more rapidly than ever; therefore, there is a need to rethink the traditional three- to four-year degree/diploma curriculum.

"They take too long to complete such that by the time a student graduates, acquired skills or competencies are no longer needed in industry or the workplace, they are no longer relevant. We need to reposition the higher education curriculum so that in addition to traditional degree programmes, we also shift towards alternative credentials whose curricula are timely, flexible, responsive, and needs-driven."

Local and international speakers are expected to make various presentations.