RUNDU – The Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA), in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), sought input from stakeholders in the Kavango East region on Wednesday on a draft micro-credentials policy.
The policy aims to recognise specific skills and competencies acquired through short, targeted learning programmes.
Speaking during a stakeholder consultation in Rundu, NQA’s Head of Qualifications, Joseph Amunyela, said the policy aims to create opportunities for people to acquire recognised skills, including those who may not have had access to formal education.
“Completing a short course would not automatically qualify as a micro-credential, as such programmes would have to meet the requirements of the Namibia Qualifications Framework (NQF), including clearly defined learning outcomes, credible assessments and quality assurance,” Amunyela said.
He said only those that are quality assured and meet the requirements of the NQF for registration can be recognised as micro-credentials.
The policy Amunyela explained could also help address skills shortages in local industries and communities by recognising competencies that people possess but may struggle to demonstrate through formal qualifications.
He urged participants to assess the draft policy against the specific needs of the region, including the skills required by employers, institutions, and communities.
He encouraged participants to identify gaps in the proposed policy, highlight possible implementation challenges, and recommend practical solutions that could strengthen the document.
“This is your policy, not for the NQA. We have started the skeleton to draft the policy. Tell us what makes sense, what does not make sense and what may be difficult to implement,” he stressed.
The consultation in Kavango East is the second in a series of regional engagements following an initial consultation in the Zambezi Region.
The process is intended to gather views from stakeholders across the country before the draft policy is finalised.
According to Amunyela, the collected inputs would inform a validation process scheduled for the first week of December, during which regional representatives would review the revised draft before it proceeds to Cabinet for consideration.
Stakeholders were encouraged to ensure that the final policy responds to Namibia’s skills development needs and provides practical pathways for recognising competencies acquired through different forms of learning.
– Nampa
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