WINDHOEK: The Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) will from next year onwards offer short courses in various technical fields.

The certificate courses will run for a maximum of six months and include motor-mechanics, plumbing, welding, office administration, pipe-fitting, foundation qualification programmes as well as metal fabrication.

Giving an overview of NAMCOL’s Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programme in the capital today, NAMCOL Director Harold Murangi said the introduction of such courses is to complement efforts by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to expand vocational training education because the tertiary institutions in the country cannot absorb all successful Grade 12 learners.

Phase Two of the new vocational training programme will be introduced in 2014, and will include panelbeating, spray-painting and hospitality training courses.

Phase Three comprises handyman training, industrial pipe-fitting, agriculture, business and financial services, retail, mining and construction training.

WINDHOEK: Namibian wrestler Sem Shilimela will be in action today in the 55kg Freestyle competition of the 2012 Olympic Games underway in London.

Shilimela, 21, will fight against Dzhamal Otarsultanov, 25, from Russia at about 13h20 local time.

The Namibian is one of 13 wrestlers who received a bye into the final.

Meanwhile, mountain biker Marc Bassingtwaighte, the last of nine Namibian athletes at this year’s Olympic Games, will be in action on Sunday.

He will compete against 51 other riders in a tough off-road/cross country cycling competition at around 13h30.

Bassingthwaighte, 28, is one of only four Africans in the final, with two from South Africa and one from Rwanda.