Namibians lack spirit of enterprise

NAMIBIAN school leavers should channel their energy towards starting their own businesses and embracing the spirit of entrepreneurship, says the Executive Director of Women’s Action for Development (WAD), Veronica de Klerk.

Speaking at the PMR Africa Awards held in Windhoek yesterday, on the topic ‘Establishing a business synergy between the business sector and NGOs to enhance the alleviation of poverty and unemployment in Namibia’, De Klerk said it was time schools started producing future entrepreneurs. “In my view, the preference for not choosing to rely upon own initiative is the cumulative result of years of neglect to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among our youth, right from the parental home, through primary and secondary school, and into the working careers of our children,” she said.With Namibia’s unemployment rate at 36,8 per cent, De Klerk said, this proved that there were not enough job opportunities to absorb the many school leavers every year.She added that these youngsters needed to be co-opted into a work system before they became a menace to society.”Not only do they (school leavers) represent a failed investment in human capital because they do not contribute to the national economy after having been subsidised for 12 years at school, but they also form a potentially explosive force which can cause much damage if their unhappiness is not resolved timeously.”De Klerk called on the business sector to contribute towards training of the unemployed and purchase products made by local emerging entrepreneurs instead of importing what was readily available in Namibia.The PMR Awards are held annually to recognise excellence and honour companies and institutions for their achievements.”In my view, the preference for not choosing to rely upon own initiative is the cumulative result of years of neglect to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship among our youth, right from the parental home, through primary and secondary school, and into the working careers of our children,” she said.With Namibia’s unemployment rate at 36,8 per cent, De Klerk said, this proved that there were not enough job opportunities to absorb the many school leavers every year.She added that these youngsters needed to be co-opted into a work system before they became a menace to society.”Not only do they (school leavers) represent a failed investment in human capital because they do not contribute to the national economy after having been subsidised for 12 years at school, but they also form a potentially explosive force which can cause much damage if their unhappiness is not resolved timeously.”De Klerk called on the business sector to contribute towards training of the unemployed and purchase products made by local emerging entrepreneurs instead of importing what was readily available in Namibia.The PMR Awards are held annually to recognise excellence and honour companies and institutions for their achievements.