Tanzanian college must have a curriculum that provides students with employment or work-ready skills
The Minister of Education, Science and Technology Professor Adolf Mkenda has called on Vocational Colleges to ensure they have a curriculum that will enable them to produce students who can be self-employed or employed in the local and foreign market.
Prof. Mkenda made the remarks on January 26, 2022 in Arusha during a visit to inspect development projects at the Arusha Vocational College (ATC) where he said that in order to enable graduates in those colleges, the curriculum must meet international technical education criteria.
The Minister said the Vocational Training Curriculum should enable students to be confident in self-employment or work abroad and provide students with the ability to use modern equipment and machinery as Science and Technology in the world is growing rapidly.
"The revitalization of the Vocational Training College curriculum in the country must take into account the needs of the domestic and foreign markets as well as ensure that they meet international standards to enable young trainees to have internationally recognized knowledge, skills and competencies," he said. Mkenda.
In addition, Prof. Mkenda is pleased with the progress of the construction of various projects at the College including the construction of a girls' hostel that will serve 600 students, the construction of a health center and the completion of a long-standing technical tower.
Explaining the progress of the construction of the Technical Tower building which is being built with UVIKO 19 funds, Project Manager Engineer Faraji Magania said that the college has been allocated Shs 2.25 billion to complete the construction.
“Of the dividends we have received of Shs 1.75 billion will be used to complete construction activities and in that Shs 500 million will buy furniture which will include teaching materials. When completed, the building will be able to accommodate more than 1,100 students at a time, ”explained Engineer Magania.
In another step Prof. Mkenda urged Vocational Colleges to continue to improve science and technology training by sending trainers abroad to study at major universities so that they can learn more about how successful these countries have been in providing such training and they can improve training methods.
"All the countries that have developed, have been successful in sending their people to study abroad especially in the areas of science, technology and medicine, we would like to see this college teachers and trainers go to see what is going on and study at major universities abroad," said Prof. Mkenda.
The Minister stressed that the Ministry and the Government as a whole will allocate funds for the sending of Trainers abroad for training that will enable them to provide modern and up-to-date education to Tanzanian youth.
The minister also urged DIT students to create spart parts that will provide them with income as well as the nation.
The Minister of Education, Science and Technology Professor Adolf Mkenda has called on the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) to expand further by making spare parts for fire engines including bajajis and motorcycles.
He said this on January 28, 2022 in Dar es Salaam when he visited the Institute to see for himself the various activities carried out there where he said we can grow technologically by improving things that have already been developed by other countries.
"I am very happy to see that you have a company that helps to market innovative products but I want you to improve by making spare parts that are in high demand such as bajajis and motorcycles," said Prof. Mkenda.
In addition, Minister Mkenda commended the institution for having a company that helps to market various innovations and urged DIT to transfer technological knowledge from other countries and come and use it here in the country in the production of products that will meet the needs of society.
"We can import something that has been produced for example Turkey and then look at the possibility of making it and selling it locally and abroad to grow our economy," he said. Mkenda.
In another step, Minister Mkenda urged the DIT leadership to continue to build and promote partnerships with other institutions, especially abroad, to exchange experts who will help continue to promote technology in the country.
For his part, the Head of the Institute, Prof. Preksedis Ndomba said they have received the instructions and promised to work on them to improve the performance of the institution.
