Oranjemund Constituency Councillor, Lazarus Nangolo has called on Government to reduce the requirements for the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) green hydrogen scholarship to ensure inclusivity.
Nangolo made the call here on Wednesday together with other stakeholders during the regional outreach workshop information session on the Youth for Green Hydrogen (Y4H2) scholarship programme. The requirement for the scholarship is that a student should have a Level 7 degree to qualify for the master’s programme or have obtained at least Level 1 in TVET to qualify for the TVET programme.
Nangolo said for children from the region to be included in the programme the requirements should be lowered, adding that the majority of students in the region have Grade 10 or Level 1 TVET and thus do not qualify for the scholarship with its current requirements.
“We have our children that are at the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) that have Grade 10 or 11 and get funding from Government, now if NIMT can accept these students with Grade 10 why not then reduce the requirements. We need a special offer for our children to be part of this scholarship to reach that level of inclusivity, I suggest and appeal that the requirements be lowered as that is high and you will not get a lot of students from our region,” he stressed.
Nama Traditional Leaders Association secretary general, Deodat Dirkse said if the green hydrogen project lifespan is 40 years, why does Government not open up the scholarships to undergraduates too to ensure that it has a greater number of skilled personnel.
“If our Grade 11 and 12 need studying we must start there before we start looking for master students and Level 1 TVET, because when we start there, we exclude so many students. If the project is 40 years it should be sustainable so everyone should study,” he said.
||Kharas Region Governor, Aletha Frederick urged parents and teachers to motivate and encourage students to seize the opportunity and embark on a journey towards a career in green hydrogen.
Frederick said green hydrogen is not just an industry but a pathway towards sustainable development and a cleaner future.
“As we transition away from fossil fuels, the demand for skilled professionals in the field of green hydrogen will continue to grow. By investing in the training of our young people, we are not only empowering them but also ensuring that they have an equal chance to enter this field and contribute meaningfully to its growth,” she said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency