AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE government’s zeal to build skills-oriented industrial economy, has received a huge boost thanks to a substantial increase of technical training colleges in the country.
Over the past three years, the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) has particularly increased the number of colleges by over 50 per cent.
The VETA revealed yesterday that the number of its technical colleges has now reached 684 up from 451 in 2017.
The move has also seen the enrolments increasing from 169,118 in 2017 to 302,369 last year.
The Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, was informed of the achievements when launching the VETA’s 8th board, chaired by Mr Peter Maduki, yesterday.
In her remarks, Prof Ndalichako reiterated the government’s determination to build an industrial economy, and called upon each public institution, including those under her portfolio, to assess themselves how they contribute to enable realisation of the government’s goal.
“It’s clear that vocational training is one of the important areas needed to be given high priority in building an industrialised country.
Industries can’t be run efficiently without having human resources with proper skills for modern technology,” she stated.
Prof Ndalichako reminded the new board of its crucial task to supervise the VETA in a manner that would stimulate more industrial production.
“Review our vocational education system in ensuring that it produces more graduates fit for the current job market,” she told members of the new board.
Eelier, when briefing the minister, VETA’s Director General Dr Pancreas Bujulu, said the new board members were selected last February after President John Magufuli appointed the chairman in January.
Dr Bujulu explained that the 7th board of directors, which had completed its term in February, has successfully supervised implementation of the VETA’s Fourth Strategic Plan as well as Fifth strategic plan.
During its tenure, the outgoing board made many achievements, including completion of fifth strategic plan, construction of more VETA colleges and increased enrolment of students, he said.
The previous board, according to Dr Bujulu, also started construction of district vocational colleges whereby projects were still ongoing in various districts.
Increased enrolment has seen more female students joining vocational colleges from 31 per cent in 2017 to 37 per cent in 2019.
The number of students with special needs has also gone up as records indicate that in 2016 the colleges registered 200, but in 2019 the number was 344.
According to Dr Bujulu, the authority has continued translating vocational education curriculum from English to Kiswahili.
The Vocational Educational and Training Authority was established by an Act of Parliament No. 1 of 1994 charged with broad tasks of coordinating, regulating, financing, promoting and providing vocational education and training in Tanzania.
