Prime minister Elijah Ngurare says 345 recruits have successfully completed their national service crash course.
He said this at the official closing of the national youth service crash course and the launch of the charcoal youth self-employment project at the Rietfontein training centre on Wednesday.
“I am informed that to date, about 630 youth, selected from all 14 regions of Namibia have undergone and completed the three mandatory required training phases of the programme.”
“This includes the tailormade extensive crash course in national service for about a month, followed by first aid training and onsite practical production training.”
He said the 345 recruits underwent training at Henties Bay Training Centre.
The group is expected to be deployed to different government farms that have been identified.
The prime minister said so far 255 have already completed the training and are currently in production at NYS Germsbok Farm, situated about 60 kilometres from the training centre.
“Unlike other youth orientated government projects where the youth are recruited directly without the need to undergo national service, it was decided that for this type of project or intervention, all youth wishing to partake in the project would be required to undergo a tailor-made national service training or what is referred to as crash course in national service,” he said.
Education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture minister Sanet Steenkamp says the 345 recruits also underwent intensive training in first-aid and entrepreneurship.
She says this foundational training forms the first phase of the charcoal production training, which is funded by the government through the ministry.
“Launched as a pilot project in 2021, this initiative is more than just a skills training programme. It reflects the government’s commitment to sustainable resource management and economic empowerment; and offers a unique opportunity to harness our natural resources, particularly through responsible encroacher bush harvesting, while simultaneously creating meaningful and dignified employment for the youth,” she says
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