DAPP Vocational Training School held its annual graduation ceremony on Saturday, April 30, 2016. Altogether, 70 candidates graduated with Certificates and Diplomas from different vocational courses offered at the school including Bricklaying and Plastering, Office Administration, Secretarial and Administration, and Community Development.
Situated at Onambelela on the Oshakati - Ruacana road in the Omusati Region, DAPP Vocational Training School started its activities in September 1991. The school was built partly by its own students and aims to educate young Namibians as crafts men and women. The school welcomes high school graduates from all over the country. Candidates have to pass an entry selection test prior admission to programmes of their choice.
In his key note address, Councillor of Anamulenge Constituency, Honorable Werner Kalipi cautioned graduates that a certificate is not an end in itself but being able to put into practice what the paper says they can do. Honorable Kalipi who was very instrumental in the establishment of the DAPP Private School years back further urged students to not only focus on seeking for employment but to become employment creators and become vibrant players in the Namibian economy.
Also speaking at the graduation, DAPP Namibia's Director Kirsten Moeller-Jensen indicated that vocational training has not always been highly regarded in Namibia owning to a perception that hand work was by and large considered to be a job for the uneducated who could not make it to Universities and other institutions of higher learning. This notion is now rightly changing. She further reflected on Vocational Training being a priority within the Harambee Prosperity Plan stating that "Vocational Training has a high priority in one of the five pillars of the plan, namely; the Social Progression Pillar". Under this pillar, the goal for the next four years are to increase the number of Vocational Education Training Trainers from 15,000 in 2015 to 25,000 in 2020 to significantly improve the quality of the VET training by 2020 and to improve the image of VET to become a sub sector of choice by 2020. DAPP Vocational Training School is determined to contribute to this goal.
In his vote of thanks address, adviser to Omahalya Village headman Paulus Mundjele, Mr. Pendukeni Amunyela applauded DAPP for its continued effort to be a driver of development and called on graduates to lead responsible and balanced lives.
DAPP Vocational Training School held it’s annual graduation ceremony in Outapi recently. 94 of the students graduated in courses such as Community Development, Bricklaying and Plastering, Office Administration and Business and Secretarial Studies. From this number 78 students were women. And I quote from the speech of the acting Director of NTA.
“I am very encouraged by these statistics. It is a clear indication that we are making good progress in empowering our young girls with skills and competencies to allow them to enter the male dominated world of work”.
The NTA’s acting CEO, Ms.Anna Ester Nghipondoka further said that they continue to consider DAPP Namibia as a valued partner in their quest to deliver accessible, equitable and quality Vocational Education and Training Services. Aside from running DAPP Vocational Training School, DAPP also administers the Nakayale Vocational Training Centre on behalf of the NTA. “The decision to entrust DAPP with this responsibility was based on the fact that DAPP proved itself to be a reliable, consistent and focused training provider. A training provider which values the impact Vocational Education and Training can have not only on the empowerment of young people but more importantly on their communities and our country as a whole.”
Mr Polli Andima from the NQA said in his speech that granting formal accreditation from the NQA shows that an institution has met the requirements and is fit for its purpose. An accredited institution such as DAPP Vocatioal Training School is able to transform itself but more importantly the society it serves. It should be an agent of change. Change for the better.
Regional Councilor Fidelis Sheyapo in his speech told the students about the crucial role they will play. “From today onwards, you will be become most impotant and recognised citizens of our country. We are expecting you to deliver and transform Namibia as a better place to be. You be a driving force of our economy towards our Vision 2030 so that Namibia could become a highly industrial country.
The principal of the school in his speech congratulated the students in which he was happy to inform the guests that some of the graduates are already working for DAPP itself, Government Ministries and other NGOs and that DAPP Namibia is in the process to employ more. This shows the commitment that DAPP Namibia have towards the nation. “Empowering our young people and together we will build the nation.”
DAPP Vocational Training School offers courses in Office Administration, Bricklaying and Plastering, Business and Secretarial Studies and Community Development. The Nakayale centre currently offers Hospitality Studies and Office Administration. The centre will this year offer Hospitality Level 3.
A total of 30 key staff members have attended two week long capacity building courses during 2011. 15 participated in Project Leader training that will continue as on the job training and lead to a diploma.
A total of 30 key staff members have attended two week long capacity building courses during 2011. 15 participated in Project Leader training that will continue as on the job training and lead to a diploma. 8 took part in Special Force training linked to their jobs in the TCE program, while 7 were engaged in other enlightening courses.
Scholarship for Frontline Institute
Frontline Institute is a training institute for key people in development from the projects within Humana People to People member organisations. The Frontline Institute was established with the aim of working in the frontline of development and fighting against the dehumanizing phenomena such as poverty, hunger, illiteracy and diseases. It trains as leaders in development for the benefit of the people in rural areas and townships in African countries, India, China and Central America.
DAPP Namibia has during recent years provided scholarships to aspiring candidates for leadership positions to be trained at Frontline Institute in Zimbabwe. There the participants will go through the Basic Project Management Course in a period of 6 months and may continue to the Advanced Project Management Level for another 6 months. The participants gain hands-on skills through theoretical and practical tasks. More about the school:
“Frontline Institute. Here we educate students from many countries in a unique international setting in the southern part of Africa. The Institute is a boarding school with a distinct college atmosphere. In short or in longer courses students make general studies, pass exams and exchange cultures. Here they often find friends for life, here we educate some of the Third World’s new breed of Solidary Humanists.” From the Humana People to People Charter.
32 key staff members participated in these courses during recent years.
The effects of these training and development efforts are seen in the facts that that staff members are becoming more capable of carrying out their duties and responsibilities in the projects, and that more are aspiring to take up bigger responsibilities making it possible for DAPP to plan further expansion.
However some staff members also use their experiences with DAPP as a stepping stone for seeking greener pastures elsewhere. DAPP has quite a big staff turnover especially in the TCE program, which of course is a challenge for the organisation. But we chose to see it in a positive perspective that we are helping to build capacity in a big number of people, who would otherwise not have the opportunities and wish them all the best in their future endeavours as community counsellors at health facilities, employees at private businesses, studying to become nurse or many other directions. We take pride in also looking at the TCE program as a big community school.
More than 3000 participants have gone through the courses of Basic Project Management and Advanced Project Management.
The institute is international in its character. The teachers, participants and organizations which send the participants for training all come from different countries. Countless people to people links are formed and strengthened; friendships and understanding across national and cultural borders are built and maintained.
