NYS allocated N$77 million for youth training

The National Youth Service (NYS) has been allocated N$77 million to carry out its mandate of providing Namibian young people with national service training, voluntary service, and skills training.

The minister of sport, youth, and national service, Agnes Tjongarero, on Tuesday said the aim is to instil a sense of patriotism, volunteerism, nationhood, and commitment in the youth.

“These training programmes contribute towards the realisation of various government social development goals in respect of social and economic progression, income and wealth inequalities, skills development, poverty eradication, and youth development,” Tjongarero said in motivating her ministry’s budget for the 2023/24 financial year.

NYS training programmes offer national service training, voluntary service, and technical vocational education and training to young people from 16 to 35 years old.

During the 2022/23 financial year, the NYS has enlisted 418 young people under its civic training programme, and 352 under its 11 accredited technical and vocational education programmes, the minister said.

“With the new budget, the NYS will take on new young people, thereby contributing towards youth empowerment,” she said.

Furthermore, Tjongarero said the NYS security company which was created to create employment opportunities for young people, currently employs 612 youths who are fully trained as security personnel and who have been placed at various government ministries and agencies.

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