NARETU, Welwitchia University sign MoU

Bridging the gap
The partnership is intended to bridge the gap between academic theory and workplace practice, while giving future legal professionals practical insight into labour relations and workers’ rights in Namibia.
Ndapandula Lilonga
  • 1 Day Ago

The Namibian Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union (NARETU) and Welwitchia University have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen practical legal education and create structured internship opportunities for law students.

Under the agreement, suitably qualified Welwitchia University students will undertake internships at NARETU, gaining practical experience in dispute resolution, case preparation, conciliation, arbitration, disciplinary hearings, worker representation and labour rights advocacy.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Welwitchia University Vice-Chancellor Professor Marius Hedimbi said the agreement would help the institution produce graduates better prepared for the workplace. “This is beneficial to us. It means we will be able to produce well-rounded, market-ready legal professionals,” Hedimbi said.

He added that the partnership would allow students to apply classroom knowledge in real workplace situations. “We do not just want to do theory. We want students to have practical exposure to what they are being taught,” he said.

NARETU Commander-in-Chief Petersen Kambinda said the partnership addressed a challenge faced by graduates who complete their studies without sufficient workplace experience. “We have seen many of our students, when they complete the theory, they struggle to find jobs because they do not have exposure or experience,” Kambinda said.

He said the internships would give students first-hand experience of labour relations and help them understand how their academic knowledge applies in practice. “They are going to experience the real world of what they have been taught,” he said.

Professor Marvin Awarab, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Commerce and Education at Welwitchia University, said practical training had been deliberately incorporated into the university’s LLB curriculum.

Awarab said the study of law extended beyond textbooks and was closely connected to the daily lives of workers. “The law isn’t just alive in leather-bound books; it is alive in the real world, in workplaces, and in the everyday lives of Namibian workers,” he said.

He said labour rights were an important component of developing responsible legal professionals. “Promoting and protecting labour rights is central to building a fair society,” Awarab said.

Under the MoU, NARETU will provide internship placements, suitable workstations and mentorship, while Welwitchia University will screen and recommend qualified students, provide academic oversight and monitor their progress.

The agreement will remain in force for three years, with the possibility of renewal by mutual agreement. The two institutions will also explore further areas of cooperation.