THE NAMIBIA TRAINING Authority (NTA) has become a potent educational and training institution that fortify competency-based education in Namibia.
Seemingly, there have been remarkable changes in skills training, quality assessments, experienced trainers, an increased number of trainee enrolments and expansion of both public and private vocational institutions.
These transformations are as a result of the implementation of sound technical and vocational education and training (TVET) policies and a poised administration.
TVET, being the central subsector of education and training, offers a mosaic of skills trades opportunities to locals, and that matches the country’s macroeconomic growth goals as articulated in the national development plans.
The NTA continuously endeavours to mould and create a proficiency or mastery-based education that values hands-on competencies that support trainees in gaining practical skills and knowledge.
As a result, it fulfils its mandate of regulating and facilitating the sustainability of quality TVET to the appreciation of stakeholders.
From an assessment perspective, it is worth mentioning and applauding the marvellous work the assessment and certification department is currently doing.
Its approach and methodology are based on continuous assessment in all its qualifications and content, which is fundamental to competence-based learning.
The NTA assessment model employs essential training activities underlying the monitoring role of administrators, assessors, moderators and verifiers, which strengthen the quality of assessment. However, its success lies in the provision of assessment materials and financial resources that enable learning and the creation of an efficient and effective competence-based assessment setting.
It is striking that TVET graduates, particularly in the tourism and hospitality trades, perform exceptionally well in terms of practical skills, compared to other higher-level tertiary institutions offering hospitality courses in the country.
On the other hand, the recognition for prior learning (RPL) by the NTA stimulates a robust foundation of competence-based learning significance.
Subsequently, TVET education embraces formal, informal and semi-formal learning and acquisition of knowledge.
Thus, RPL is designed to impart theoretical knowledge to a trainee’s existing practical knowledge in a specific discipline which permits trainees to obtain a formal qualification that matches their abilities and skills.
This will reinforce the trainee’s chances of promotion at work, self-worth, lifelong-learning and socio-educational inclusion.
In essence, the NTA is one of the Namibian government entities that is doing an impressive job in education and training by cementing its training and facilitation functions as aligned with competence-based education philosophies integral to the sustenance of skilled manpower and the country’s modern industrial growth.
Simbarashe Murima
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