The program to boost students towards self employment is in place

FROM THE PARLIAMENT IN DODOMA.

The government has instituted a program to be included in the current national education curriculum whose focus is to enable students from higher learning institutions gain skills and build innovations in order to prepare them into becoming self employed on completion of their studies. The deputy minister for Education and Vocational Training William Ole Nasha said last week in parliament that already USD 100 million (Tshs. 2.5 bn/-) is already attained by the government to facilitate the program which is scheduled to start at any time from now. The deputy minister clarified that, the program will involve technical related studies which will enable students gain hands on skills and build practical experience of a particular related job to be run in future. The deputy minister was responding a supplementary question earlier raised by Vunjo legislator James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi) who wanted to know plans by the government of introducing studies which will make graduates be innovative and creative so as in future they might be able to employ themselves. Earlier, the legislator for Momba constituency David Ernest Silinde (CCM) raised a question with a view to know the upcoming plans by the government of increasing employment opportunities to graduates from higher learning institutions in the country. 

Vunjo legislator James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi) making a point in parliament last week in Dodoma.

In responding to this question, the deputy minister of State in Prime Minister’s office responsible for Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labor and Employment  Anthony Mavunde said that, the government through Youths’ Empowerment Council (YEC) has issued a number of incentives to help youths to spearhead the idea of self employment for their economic gain. He said in parliament today that, such incentives includes free land spaces on which to make any economic business undertaking, whereby the government has already set aside an estimated of 200,000 hectares of land countrywide which is known as youth’s economic zone.  These are facilitated by district council authorities. Other incentives includes training programs that would enable them venture into business activities as well as the fact that the government is currently undertaking mega national projects such as the Stigler Gorge, SGR projects and many others such as those linked with the industrialization programs.