YOUNG PEOPLE have been advised to become self-employed through vocational education to help the government reduce the challenges of unemployment in the country.
The statement was made recently by the Principal of Don Bosco Youth Training Centre (DBYTC) of Iringa, Father Fred Njuguna during the 25th graduation ceremony of the vocational training centre.
The centre is under Salesian organization of Don Bosco, an international religious organization working in 125 countries around the world with the youth.
Father Njuguna has commented that for young people who are completing forms (IV and VI) and are supposed to enroll in the vocational education colleges after failing to enroll in the regular colleges due to various reasons.
He said that there are students who complete their secondary education who remain idle and have no work to do, they enrolled and the vocational training facilities would help reduce the challenge of unemployment.
He said that in order to support government efforts of the industrial policy, the graduates of secondary education are supposed to enroll in vocational training facilities.
In addition, the head of the vocational training centre has praised the government under Dr. John Magufuli administration for the improvement of training in vocational training centers hence many graduates are self-employed or employed.
He said that after the authorities of the vocational education (VETA) have improved training activities many graduates have become self-employed and some employed.
In another development, the Principal of the Don Bosco Youth training Centre Pd. Njuguna said that the college is facing numerous problems including the lack of hostels for students many of whom are living on the streets and leads to the provision of care for these young people to be challenging.
"We can provide the best care for young people at school, but when they returned home they are still behaving the same, this why we need hostels becomes it is easy to care for young people ...," said Pd. Fred Njuguna.
He said another challenge is that the campus is in high cost of operating in the absence of subsidies from the government as well as many students unable to pay the fees on time.
He said that usually the government should contribute 70 percent of the operation of vocational training centers and the remaining 30 percent contributed by the relevant college, "... but those funds do not come often," he added Pd. Njuguna.
He also said another challenge is that there have been a small number of female students who join the college compared to the number due to lack of hostels.
He referred to the graduates of this year, that a total of 63 students who graduated this year but only eight girls were qualified from various causes, including two pregnant female students in the absence of a school dormitory.
He said the college also has more than 200 students, among them girls are 47 of all college students because they lack dormitories.
Don Bosco VTC-Iringa is under The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious institute founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco to help poor children during the Industrial Revolution, which is an international religious organization working in 125 countries around the world because of the youth.
Med rick Msamila is a graduate at the 25th graduation ceremony in the field of masonry thanked God for a safe finish but laid emphasis that the VTC sees no need to reduce the fees so that more students can enroll in the college.
He said that many students come from low-income families but are unable to join due to the high fees rate, adding that many girls should enroll in vocational training centers for crafts is not just for men.
The Salesians of Don Bosco arrived in Iringa in 1980 and founded a youth center and a technical school.
The technical college provides a total of seven courses and is managed by the authorities in vocational education (VETA), where 88 percent of its graduates are self-employed or employed.
The following courses are offered at the Don Bosco College Iringa include computer courses, printing, welding, tailoring, motor mechanics, electrical, and masonry.
However, the principal has advised the graduates are not to be satisfied with education and instead they should go further to reach the highest levels in order to bring the quality and efficiency in their work.
Recently, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training Professor Joyce Ndalichako, has issued the statement, any student who completed Form Four should reach Diploma level but he or she who wants to go degree program should go through the sixth form level.
In her speech she said it will be implemented and end of one of the existing systems where a student who completed Form Four should go for Diploma but if he/she determine to go degree they should go through the sixth form level first.
The minister of Education adds that students who excelled in Form Four examination have been sent to study the level of certificate, diploma and then later they excel towards Bachelor Degree but now will be forced to go through sixth form level.
Another system also allows some one in which has graduated sixth form but failed to complete several criteria required in universities had got a chance to do studies of time i.e. foundation course at the open university of Tanzania (OUT) and if they were successful he would be allowed to continue to study the level of Degree.
The former President of Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa, who recently said the best way to improve education in Tanzania are stakeholders to meet at the negotiating table to discuss the challenges they face.
Minister Ndalichako soon after taking office removed the system average points i.e. GPA and restore system of division.
The minister announced to those who graduate at lower levels of education not wearing robes and hats as compared to those who graduated from universities.
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