Addressing Unemployment Among Young Graduates

Unemployment in Namibia requires targeted and deliberate interventions, policies and actions from the government.

Of particular concern are the thousands of unemployed young graduates who face significant challenges in securing jobs.

These young graduates do their utmost to apply for every entry-level position advertised by government ministries offices and agencies.

Those fortunate enough to meet the requirements often travel across the country to attend interviews.

However, attending these interviews involves considerable expenses, including transport, food and sometimes accommodation when interviews are held in different towns.

Add to that the costs of making copies and printing application documents.
It places a heavy financial burden on families, many of whom struggled to support their children during their studies.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

Targeted measures are necessary to address the backlog of unemployed graduates.

One potential solution is to offer voluntary retirement packages to public servants aged 55 and above.

Many public servants eligible for early retirement remain in the system because they aim to reach the legal retirement age of 60 to secure full benefits.

Some of them are clearly fatigued and would prefer to retire but feel compelled to continue working.

This contributes to poor service delivery within the public sector, as some employees are merely marking time until retirement.

If the government offered voluntary early retirement packages to public servants aged 55 and above, there would likely be a significant exodus of older employees.

It would create numerous vacancies, providing opportunities to address the backlog of unemployed graduates.

This would not only rejuvenate the workforce but improve service delivery across the public sector.

Despite these potential measures, young graduates face stiff competition.

They often compete against experienced candidates seeking horizontal transfers for various reasons.

The questions posed by interview panels tend to favour experienced candidates familiar with government operations.
This puts young graduates at a significant disadvantage.

To address this, the government should implement policies reserving entry level positions exclusively for unemployed individuals.

A temporary moratorium of two to three years could prevent employed staff from applying for entry level positions at the same grade they already hold.

CONTRADICTIONS

Young graduates face unfair treatment from the institutions that trained them. Their qualifications are frequently withheld because of outstanding loan repayments.

Worse still, some government offices refuse to shortlist candidates who cannot submit their qualifications even when academic records, registration certificates and other supporting documents are attached.

This paradox leaves graduates unable to secure employment and thus unable to settle their debts while their qualifications are held hostage.

The government must also review and reform policies that contradict efforts to curb unemployment.

Some human resource policies, particularly those related to recruitment and promotions are overly rigid and hinder professional growth within the public service.

Deliberate and thoughtful measures are essential to ensure young graduates have a fair opportunity to contribute to Namibia’s economy and secure their futures.

By addressing structural barriers to employment and implementing targeted solutions, the government can create an inclusive environment that empowers its young workforce and fosters national growth.

With relatively younger faces in parliament, there is hope that these young leaders will prioritise making decisions and implementing laws aimed at combating the crises Namibian youth face.

• Philipus Awene is a financial adviser and Asser Nakale is an assistant archivist. Both work in the ministry of education in the Oshikoto region. This article is written in their personal capacities.

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