By: Fransina Nghidengwa

Over the next years, the world energy system will need to undergo profound structural change in order to limit global warming to 1.5° Celsius. In this process, (green) hydrogen will also play an increasing role in the sustainable transformation of the energy supply system.

Namibia is aiming to develop into a hub of green hydrogen in Africa, a prospect made possible by the country’s 1 500 kilometres of coastline desert with sunlight exposure totalling over 3 500 hours a year – conditions ideal for producing solar and wind power at high availabilities.

Interest in hydrogen and fuel cell technology is increasing, but there remains a general lack of awareness of hydrogen as an energy alternative. The Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) recently discussed the possibility of incoporating hydrogen education into the school curriculum.

However, the secretary general of the Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) Mahongora Kavihuha has shot down an idea by Nanso to introduce green hydrogen into the Namibian school curriculum.

Nanso at its recently concluded General Students Council held at the Kalahari Convention Centre in the Omaheke region under the theme ‘Restoring Radical Responsiveness and Revolutionary Commitment Towards the Organisational Mandate’, deliberated on how green hydrogen can be integrated into the Namibian school curriculum.

According to Kavihuha, green hydrogen cannot be a subject on its own unless they suggest a stretch in the already existing science subjects.

“Anything to be done as a policy intervention must be informed by a thorough consideration. Any changes in public policy whether it is a curriculum or economic policy, green hydrogen cannot be a subject on its own,” he said.

He said people cannot just jump because politicians are speaking about green hydrogen.

“We need to move into green hydrogen as a topic in a subject, and who told them that no subject covers green hydrogen,” Kavihuha wanted to know.

The discussion at Nanso’s General Students Council came in the wake of reports that the envisioned U$10 billion green hydrogen project  may grow the domestic labour market by creating an estimated 280,000 jobs by 2030 and 600,000 jobs by 2040, a forecast labour experts say is unrealistic given the lack of skills in this particular industry in Namibia.

Speaking to The Villager, Dorthea Iyaloo Nangolo, the spokesperson of Nanso said the student body had several discussions on reviving the responsiveness and relevance of the organisation. They also discussed how to integrate green hydrogen in the education system and how to ensure that learners are well equipped for the anticipated green hydrogen industry.

“We had a discussion around green hydrogen like how do we ensure that we equip our learners with the relevant knowledge to participate in green hydrogen economy,” she said.

The education ministry’s executive director, Sanet Steenkamp says the ministry has revised the reformed education system.

 

“Issues around climate change are of critical importance to the curriculum. If there are particular reports and particular recommendations, they should be submitted to a panel,” she said.

 

Steenkamp said a curriculum panel at the National Institute for Educational Development (Nied) in Okahandja has been looking at the responsibilities at which level to start implementing green hydrogen, climate change and artificial intelligence into the curriculum.

Nied, under the  ministry, is responsible for spearheading basic education reform and development in Namibia.

“For example, with senior secondary revision of the reform, when getting to the stage of revisiting the curriculum, they have to do it with key organisations, entities or institutions to help get all the factual information corrected. It will not be a curriculum reform, but it is only to revisit the current curriculum and strengthening the parts, for example, the issues around artificial intelligence.”

Earlier this year, the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) launched a Youth for Green Hydrogen (Y4H2) scholarship for Namibia students that saw 1,154 apply.