Sh92.4 billion project set to boost vocational training

A $57 million (Sh92.4 billion) project aimed at increasing access to technical and vocational education and training was launched yesterday.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) will finance 90 per cent ($52 billion) of the five-year Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Teacher Education (TVET) project through a soft loan with the government financing the remaining 10 per cent.

AfDB Resident Representative Tonia Kandiero, said at the launch that the project was expected to improve facilities at 13 institutions with a capacity of about 8,000 trainees. It will also entail the extensive use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at 53 institutions and increased capacity for teaching, policy formulation, planning and quality assurance in technical vocational education and teacher training.

“This is testimony of our contribution to human capital development as part of our support towards the transformation of Tanzania’s economy and sustainable growth,” said Ms Kandiero.

Ms Keiko Takei, education economist and task manager at AfDB, said the project would also entail the construction of vocational training centres in Geita, Njombe, Rukwa and Simiyu regions, which lack such colleges.

Under the programme, Tabora, Dakawa, Marangu, Butimba, Arusha Tech and Mpwapwa teachers training colleges will also benefit through improvement of their facilities.

Education and Vocational Training minister Dr Shukuru Kawambwa, said the launch of the TVET project was part of the wider Technical and Vocational Education and Training Development Programme (TVETDP), which was launched last year.

Dr Kawambwa added that he was hopeful the TVET programme would assist in bridging skills gaps and help the country to improve the quality of its human capital, which was critical for inclusive growth and poverty reduction.

“As of today, knowledge and advanced skills are critical determinants of a country’s economic growth and standard of living as learning outcomes are transformed into goods and services, higher institutional capacity and better investment climate,” he said.

However, Dr Kawambwa admitted that the provision of science and technology education in the country was seriously constrained by an acute shortage of secondary school teachers.

The shortage was particularly serious in rural areas where it was largely to blame for poor performance in national examinations.

Mr Boukary Savadogo, the education, science and technology manager at AfDB,  said there was a need to reassert strong ownership of the project by the country.