Higher internship allowances not enough – Nanso

The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) has welcomed higher internship allowances and six-month placements but says better pay must be matched by meaningful skills development and more employment opportunities for young Namibians. Nanso representative Ndayola Mulongeni says the organisation had maintained that existing allowances were not enough to meet interns’ living costs. “We have consistently maintained that the existing allowances were inadequate to meet the cost of living. While the increment may not fully address these challenges, it is a welcome improvement that will provide some financial relief to interns,” she says. Mulongeni says extending internships to six months could give graduates more time to gain practical experience and strengthen their skills.

However, she says better internship conditions should be accompanied by deliberate efforts to create employment opportunities for young people. “As a students’ organisation, our ultimate desire is to see graduates secure employment and successfully transition into the workforce,” she says. A report by The Current on a cleaning programme advertised as an internship by the Rössing Foundation has raised questions about whether some placements provide meaningful skills development or fill roles that could otherwise be formal jobs. According to the report, the programme advertised a 12-month cleaning placement for unemployed young people at Arandis, promising workforce training and a reference letter upon completion. The advertisement did not specify the stipend. Swakopmund-based labour expert Tuhafeni Petrus questions whether the duties described qualified as an internship, arguing that the work amounted to ordinary cleaning. “At the end of the day, that is just normal cleaning. The person will still…