Youth development needs more attention

Posted by khethiwe qotyana on 20 March 2018, 13:10 SAST

A report leaked to the media says that Namibia still has a long way to go regarding youth empowerment, especially in providing health, education and employment.

A GOVERNMENT report on the status of the Namibian youth suggests that while the state is making concerted efforts to promote youth development, there are still worrying imbalances when it comes to the health, well-being, education, employment and economic empowerment of the youth.

The leaked 132-page report is an undertaking of various ministries and the Office of the President, in partnership with the Namibia Statistics Agency, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund. It aims to provide evidence required to make informed policies to address the issues that the youth currently face.

Based on the Namibian population and housing census of 2011, the report that was leaked because it was gathering dust, said about two out of three Namibians are younger than 30. 

This means that the youth (those under the age of 35) will hold the majority population for some time to come.

“Our youth are an important group that needs special focus. Not only is our population youthful, but prosperity for future generations depends on the investments that we make today with regards to our youth's health, education, social welfare and opportunities for economic empowerment,” said President Hage Geingob in the foreword.

“This report, aligned to our national frameworks and policies, should inform all our economic initiatives that target youths. It will inform relevant national development policies, including a review of the national youth policy and youth development strategies, which will facilitate that our young men and women benefit from existing and emerging opportunities in the country, and explore opportunities for engaging young people.”

Key findings suggest that despite government efforts to develop young people, Namibia still has a significant number of youths in marginalised communities who require special focus as they remain more disadvantaged than anyone elsewhere in Namibia.

The challenges they face include less access to health, education, water and infrastructure; and limited representation in formal government.

Key policies addressing the youth can also be strengthened by being updated to the current needs of the youth, while putting in place better monitoring and evaluation of programmes for youth development, especially in rural areas.

“The national youth policy, last revised in 2006, is outdated, and no longer adequately addresses emerging issues [relevant to the youth],” the report states. 

“Government recognises that poor monitoring, including that of youth policies, hinders development, particularly in rural areas. The urban and rural divide is serious, and impacts negatively on economic growth.”

Other issues under the report's magnifier is the slow pace of job creation, with youth unemployment at over 39%, with the employment rate for youth with tertiary education at over 80%. 

Youth employment is also high in jobs classified as vulnerable employment, and in economic sectors with the least growth such as agriculture, wholesale, retail and domestic work.

Another issue is the significant internal migration of youth (aged 22 to 25) from rural to urban areas. This is the same group where unemployment is the highest.

The report also highlights “some serious challenges in the education sector”, which are affecting the achievement of youth development. 

These include high school drop-outs, inadequate teaching facilities and financing, long walking distances to school, and absence of early childhood development programmes, especially in rural areas.

“As for tertiary education, there is a big gap between applications and admissions, despite increased enrolment. There is also a gap in rolling out vocational training,” the report added.

“There is a limited understanding of youth issues by responsible authorities and prospective employers. There is a gap in understanding the environment surrounding most youths. 

“These factors are leading to growing frustration among some youth, who have little hope in the system to provide them with a decent future. 

“Discussions show an apparent difference in opinion between youths and prospective employers, with the latter believing that most youths have the wrong attitudes towards life and work; while the youth feel let down,” the report states.

Various key action points are proposed to address some of the issues.

https://www.namibian.com.na/166356/archive-read/Youth-development-needs-more-attention