IAE told to empower youths with pre-vocational skills

DAR ES SALAAM: MINISTRY of Education, Science and Technology Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr Hussein Mohamed Omar has urged the Institute of Adult Education (IAE) to reach out to young people engaged in collecting cans, plastics and waste through pre-vocational education and equip them with skills to make their activities more profitable.

Speaking during his first official visit to the institute’s offices in Dar es Salaam, Dr Omar said the institution is required to find ways to reach and support those who are on the streets, especially in major cities like Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya and Dar es Salaam, who collect waste.

He proposed that those who will be reached could be offered kills, particularly through vocational education system, so that they can fully utilise all the available opportunities from the waste they collect.

He said that the institute could use ward officers and local government leaders, even health care centres, to gather information on people who cannot read or write and advise them to take advantage of the opportunities offered by IAE.

Dr Omar said, “If the institute can identify and reach all individuals who missed out on formal education but are engaged in economic activities, it will help create a larger group of people who can benefit from pre-vocational training and entrepreneurship programmes.”

ALSO READ: Lower loan interest rates to empower youths to fight poverty

On the progress of the campaign to return young mothers to school, Dr Omar said it has become one of the most impactful initiatives, having reached over 13,000 girls in four years, surpassing the set target.

Speaking about the Integrated Programme for Out of School Youths (IPOSA), the Head of the Institute of Adult Education, Prof Philipo Sanga, said the programme was designed with support from UNICEF to help young people who missed formal education.

“The programme focuses on young people who never had access to school, dropped out of primary or secondary school or completed Standard Seven but couldn’t continue to secondary education,” said Prof Sanga.

The Institute of Adult Education is expecting to commemorate its 50 years anniversary on August 25 to 27 this year at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.