NTA launches solar plant

Higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi has commended efforts by the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) to demonstrate innovative ways of delivering technical and vocational education and training (TVET) skills and expertise.Kandjii-Murangi said this during the inauguration of the Gobabis Vocational Training Centre photovoltaic solar plant.The cost of the installation amounted to just over N$4 million.According to NTA, this includes the plant, cameras, solar lights and infrastructure such as fencing.Out of poverty“Creating jobs – and making sure they are the right jobs – will be how we lift our people out of poverty, how we empower thousands of women and young people and how we develop a strong, secure and robust economy,” the minister said. “In this regard, the TVET sector, as an integral part of our mainstream national education system, is critical to our future competitiveness. As a ministry, we have been impressed by how the NTA is dealing with the priorities set and the related challenges. It remains critical, however, for the ministry and the NTA to maintain the momentum and commitment towards successfully transforming the provision of TVET in Namibia,” she said.Kandji-Murangi said for Namibia, the need for skills training often exceeds the resources available.The Promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Namibia (ProTVET) project is a joint technical cooperation programme of the NTA and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which also funded the project through a delegation agreement. Perfect environmentThe installation of photovoltaic solar plants at VTC&#039;s is “an encouraging and heartening development", the minister said. “Such systems are perfect for Namibia’s arid environment because they are extremely durable and require little upkeep. "Panels can last up to 25 years or more and are made to endure our extreme weather conditions like high winds and sandstorms,” she said.Furthermore, Kandji-Murangi said the installation of solar plants is a step “in the right direction."The project started in February this year and was completed in July. A ground-mounted 80-kilowatt system was installed, which covers the entire electricity needs of this centre, inclusive of three-phase equipment.

NTA launches solar plant

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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NTA launches solar plant

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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