President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Namibia's shift towards green energy and oil production requires a new generation of highly skilled, adaptable professionals.

She said this while delivering a keynote address during a University of Namibia (Unam) graduation ceremony in Windhoek on Wednesday.

Addressing thousands of graduates, she said since its inception in 1992, Unam has grown from a modest student body of roughly 3 600 to over 30 000 today.

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"This growth reflects a sustained government investment in youth empowerment," she said.

The president highlighted that the university's academic standing is also rising, noting its 2024 ranking as the 13th best university in sub-Saharan Africa.

At the ceremony, former prime minister Nahas Angula received an honorary doctorate for serving as the nation's first minister of education. He was celebrated for his foundational role in building the Namibian school system, with the president describing his contribution as "inseparable" from the history of the country's development.

The president underscored the need for academic institutions to stay ahead of the curve. With Namibia positioning itself as a global hub for green hydrogen and clean energy, she urged Unam to ensure its curriculum evolves as fast as the market.

Nandi-Ndaitwah reminded the youth that education is a "public good" and not a badge of personal status. She encouraged the new graduates to look beyond traditional job-seeking and consider themselves "job creators" and "innovators."

Closing with a proverb - "The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth" - Nandi-Ndaitwah called on society to support the new graduates as they navigate a competitive global economy, ensuring they are included in the nation's progress rather than left on the sidelines.