Call on Tanzanian youths to work diligently, observe discipline

DODOMA: TANZANIAN youths have been challenged to turn their knowledge, skills and opportunities into real achievements through discipline and hard work, driving both their progress and the nation’s prosperity.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities), Ms Zuhura Yunus, made the call yesterday when gracing the International Youth Day marked at the national level in Dodoma today, August 12, 2025.

She said the government recognises that there can be no genuine development without the involvement of young people, underscoring their role in planning, implementing and monitoring policies and strategies that shape the country’s future.

“Your contribution to society is proof that the Tanzania of today and tomorrow is being built by the efforts of its youth. The government will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you to ensure your dreams are realised,” she affirmed.

Ms Zuhura noted that the sixth-phase government is working to create an enabling environment for youth to engage fully in development activities.

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This includes implementing key policies such as the National Youth Development Policy, the Employment Policy, and other strategies to enhance skills, expand job opportunities and promote innovation for competitiveness in the labour market.

She pointed out that the 2022 Population and Housing Census shows Mainland Tanzania has 20,612,566 young people, 34.4 per cent of the total population, a vital resource for achieving the National Development Vision 2050, launched in July this year.

To safeguard and develop the youth workforce, the government is strengthening education systems to ensure quality, inclusive learning that meets the demands of the current labour market.

“Priority has been given to primary, secondary, higher education and vocational training to prepare youth with the knowledge and skills needed for active participation in national development. For out-of-school youth, the government continues to provide vocational training through VETA centres, fully funded by the government and managed by the Prime Minister’s Office,” she said.

On health, Ms Zuhura noted that the government is enhancing youth-friendly services in reproductive health, nutrition, mental health and disease prevention, saying a healthy youth population is the bedrock of a strong economy and prosperous society.

She further said the government is improving conditions for youth to establish and run income-generating projects while boosting job opportunities through empowerment programmes such as the Youth Development Fund (YDF) and the 10 per cent local government allocation for community development.

She urged young people to embrace information and communication technology as a tool for learning, self-employment, innovation and economic participation, as highlighted in the updated 2024 edition of the 2007 National Youth Development Policy. The government, she added, is investing in ICT infrastructure and innovation hubs to nurture talent and support digital transformation.

“As outlined in the National Development Vision 2050, peace and security are the foundation of development and youth are central to protecting and sustaining our nation’s peace. As this is a general election year, I urge all youth to participate peacefully and avoid any actions that could disrupt harmony,” she said.

Director of Youth Development in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Suleiman Mvunye, called on both in-school and out-of-school youth to acquire life skills that would enable them to earn a decent living.

He reminded them to pursue opportunities through lawful means, highlighting that 4 per cent of the 10 per cent local government revenue allocation is set aside for youth development loans.

The YDF, he said, has issued over 3.5bn/- in loans in the past eight to ten years.

“The challenge now is that some beneficiaries fail to repay loans, delaying access for other youth,” he said.

This year, Tanzania marked International Youth Day under the theme “Youth Workforce for Sustainable Development”, in line with the UN’s 2025 theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, which urges recognition of young people’s efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and beyond.