Nkurenkuru Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in Kavango West is now set to open in February 2026, following a delay to address key construction and accessibility issues identified by the Namibia Training Authority (NTA).
NTA Chief Executive Officer, Erick Nenghwanya, confirmed that the board decided to postpone the opening, initially planned for November this year—after the facility failed to fully meet the required operational and accessibility standards.
“The board was not satisfied with certain aspects of the contractor’s work. We have therefore decided to delay the opening to February 2026 to fix what is outstanding,” Nenghwanya explained during a recent visit to the region.
One of the main issues, he said, was the absence of facilities to accommodate people with disabilities. “We cannot exclude anyone from accessing a public institution. The centre must cater for everyone,” he emphasized.
To improve the institution’s readiness, NTA will also construct a hostel to ease accommodation shortages in Nkurenkuru. “The procurement process will be finalised this November, and construction is expected to start before year-end,” Nenghwanya added.
The centre’s initial intake will accommodate about 100 trainees, with 25 participants per course. Training programmes will include solar equipment installation and maintenance, metal fabrication, plumbing and pipefitting, and clothing production.
“We will begin small and expand as facilities improve. Once the hostel, computer lab, and resource centre are complete, we plan to increase to six or seven programmes by mid-next year,” said Nenghwanya.
The NTA has already invested around N$64 million in the project, completed in two phases. However, Nenghwanya acknowledged that limited consultation during the early planning stages caused several setbacks.
“Consultation between the NTA, contractor, and local leadership was not properly done. Some regional leaders were left out, which we are now addressing. The community must feel ownership of this institution,” he said, adding that some remedial work will be undertaken by new contractors and trainees from other NTA centres.
Kavango West Governor Verna Sinimbo welcomed the project’s progress, describing it as a milestone for youth empowerment in the region.
“We view the NTA as a vital partner in achieving both national and regional development goals,” she said.
However, Sinimbo raised concerns that the first intake of 100 trainees was too small for a region facing an unemployment rate of about 52.8%.
“It’s a good start, but we want to see more young people benefiting. Our hope is that future expansions will allow at least 300 trainees,” she noted.
She further encouraged youth not to wait for Nkurenkuru VTC’s expansion but to enrol at other vocational centres across the country to gain skills and start businesses.
“Let them not sit idle. There are many centres available where they can empower themselves,” she advised.
Governor Sinimbo also highlighted the importance of early stakeholder involvement in public projects, saying that proper consultation helps prevent delays and ensures quality outcomes.
“When regional stakeholders are part of the process from the start, we avoid mistakes and ensure that projects serve the community effectively,” she concluded.
