Luanda:Land use planning instruments and municipal and urban development master plans are identified as crucial elements for organizing urban spaces in Angola, According to Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Housing, Conceiçoo Cristóvoo.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Secretary of State emphasized the importance of these tools during a lecture on urban awareness in Luanda, part of the Urban October activities. These instruments are considered essential to prevent future disorderly occupation of territories.
Conceiçoo Cristóvoo conveyed these guidelines to students at the Polytechnic Institute of Geographic Sciences (IPCG), highlighting that adherence to these planning instruments could eliminate the need to demolish buildings due to improper occupancy. The government plans to continue investing in training young people to raise community awareness and teach them how to identify signs of soil degradation.
"If we invest in the education of young people, we will very quickly transform urban spaces in a positive way," Cristóvoo stated. During the event, participants discussed various challenges faced by the IPCG, including the need for curricular internships for students.
To address these challenges, the Secretary of State stressed the importance of establishing agreements with entities such as the Housing Development Fund and the National Housing Institute to provide students with opportunities to apply their theoretical knowledge. These challenges often involve collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Administration, Labor and Social Security (MAPTSS).
The director of IPCG reported difficulties such as a shortage of teachers for the new Real Estate Mediation and Brokerage course. To address this, existing teachers are being trained to teach new subjects. Additionally, there is a need for a roof over the sports field to improve student facilities.
Currently, IPCG offers five courses, including Topography, Land Use Planning, Environmental Management, Geographic Information Systems, and Real Estate Mediation and Brokerage. The event was organized by the Ministry of Public Works, Urban Planning and Housing, aiming to reflect on urban challenges and promote sustainable development.
The lecture was part of Urban October, an initiative by UN-Habitat to foster discussions on sustainable urbanization and city planning, contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
