Tanzania to benefit from TVET collaboration with China: minister

DAR ES SALAAM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania stands to benefit from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) collaboration with China in enabling the East African nation's TVET graduates to meet both local and international standards, a senior official has said.

The Minister for Education, Science and Technology Adolf Mkenda said sharing experiences with China was expected to have a positive impact on the transformation and development of TVET systems in Tanzania.

Mkenda made the remarks Friday when he opened a one-day China-Africa TVET Collaboration and Academic Exchange Seminar jointly organized by the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET), China Africa Vocational Education Alliance and Sunmaker Training Institute at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Kibaha district in Coast region.

TVET collaboration with China will not only improve the quality of TVET provision but will also produce competent human resources and attract foreign investors, including Chinese investments in Tanzania, said the minister.

"China is a good example of a country with strong TVET systems that have contributed to the fastest economic development of China," Mkenda told the seminar attended by vice presidents of vocational colleges from China, rectors and principals from TVET institutions in Tanzania, as well as development partners.

"It is the government's wish to have human resources who are well-trained and qualified at all levels in various sectors of the economy," he said, adding that some TVET colleges have already established collaborations with vocational institutions of China, including the National Institute of Transport (NIT), the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), the Arusha Technical College (ATC), and the Livestock Training Agency (LITA).

He added that the NACTVET has also been working very closely with China Africa Vocational Education Alliance to review 25 occupational standards developed by the NACTVET in order to meet both local and international standards.

"Also, there are other occupational standards and program delivery standards for 90 programs that are under development process with the collaboration and support from China Africa Vocational Education Alliance," said Mkenda.

Adolf Rutayuga, the NACTVET executive secretary, said there are 1,329 TVET institutions in Tanzania, of which 465 are technical institutions, 809 are vocational institutions and 55 are Folk Development Colleges, which are a kind of adult education schools.

Rutayuga said the seminar was aimed at strengthening TVET collaborations between Tanzania and China and improving the TVET education provision in order to produce skilled graduates capable of responding effectively to national and international labor market demands.

"This seminar is intended to provide an opportunity for the TVET institutions from the two countries to share TVET best experiences and practices," he said.

Gaspard Banyankimbona, the executive secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), said the IUCEA has initiated a number of partnerships and collaborations with the People's Republic of China and several institutions in the country to strengthen the development of TVET in the East African Community region.

Mark Gong, the director general of the China Africa Vocational Education Alliance, said the Alliance has launched projects in several African countries, including Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Seychelles.

In Tanzania, said Gong, the Alliance has been working very closely with the NACTVET on the review and development of 115 occupational standards and the corresponding delivery programs.

"Up to now, we have submitted 25 reviewed Occupational Standards and 57 developed Occupational Standards, and the remaining ones will be submitted in early August after this event," he said.