The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) says a total of 13,500 new trainees have enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes for the 2026 academic year, with 55% or 7,432 being women.
Registration is still under way and the number is expected to increase further.
Speaking at the official opening of the academic year, NTA Chief Executive Officer Erick Nenghwanya said 71 registered training providers are currently operating in the country. He also warned institutions operating outside regulatory compliance that unregistered centres would face closure.
“At this juncture, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to bring to your attention that we are kick-starting this TVET calendar with a total enrolment of 13,512 trainees so far. Of that figure, 7,432 are female, representing 55% of our intake. These numbers are expected to increase substantially, as registration is still ongoing at several institutions,” he said.
Nenghwanya said TVET graduates play a critical role in supporting Namibia’s economic development through skills that contribute to infrastructure development, manufacturing and essential service delivery.
He emphasised that collaboration with industry remains vital to ensure training programmes remain relevant and that graduates are equipped to meet workplace demands.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we must celebrate TVET not only as an educational pathway but as a source of national pride. Every artisan, every technician and every apprentice represents Namibia’s hope for self-reliance,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Dino Ballotti said TVET is increasingly recognised as a key driver of industrialisation and economic transformation.
“The transformation of TVET is not optional; it is a national imperative. For many years, technical and vocational training was viewed as a ‘second option’ — a path taken only when the so-called academic route did not work out. That thinking belongs in the past. The economies that succeed today are not those that simply produce degrees, but those that produce skills,” he said.
