Govt orders CBE to boost business education
DODOMA: THE government has directed the College of Business Education (CBE) to introduce and strengthen both short and long-term business education programmes to produce qualified teachers and boost business and entrepreneurship training across learning institutions.
The directive was issued by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Carolyne Nombo, on Wednesday in Dodoma, while opening the 6th Academic Conference on the presentation of research findings by scholars from various local and international institutions.
Prof Nombo said business education has become a key driver of the global economy and a practical solution to youth unemployment.
“The sixth-phase government, through the revised 2014 Education and Training Policy (2023 Edition), has directed that Business Studies be made a compulsory subject for all students,” she said.
She further urged CBE to prepare a policy brief that can be used by the ministry and other institutions to inform policy decisions.
She insisted that higher learning institutions have a critical role to play in ensuring that research findings are shared with the general public in a simple and accessible manner.
“Research is the foundation of economic and social transformation worldwide. It is high time the government, institutions and private sector utilise research outcomes from colleges like CBE to realise positive development results for our nation,” she said.
Prof Nombo urged other higher learning institutions to emulate CBE by holding similar conferences to exchange ideas and expand research collaboration.
She noted that to improve academic excellence in the country, the government continues to allocate funding for higher education, including student loans through the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) and upgrading teaching and learning infrastructure.
“I call upon the Ministry of Industry and Trade to continue allocating resources to support the college in improving infrastructure, conducting more research and offering both short and long-term training to traders and entrepreneurs nationwide,” she added.
She commended CBE for being among the institutions proposed for inclusion in the second phase of the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) Project, expected to begin in the 2026/27 financial year.
“If approved, the college will receive a total of 10 million US dollars (about 26.5bn/-),” Prof Nombo explained.
Prof Nombo emphasised that all project funds must be managed effectively, on time, and with the expected quality to ensure they bring meaningful national development.
For his part, CBE Board Chairperson Professor Zacharia Mganilwa appealed to the Ministry of Education to establish a special programme to coordinate national academic conferences for higher learning institutions.
Prof Mganilwa said CBE has made significant strides, with the college’s current strategy focused on building competitiveness to secure a top-three ranking among higher learning institutions in the country.
Meanwhile, CBE Rector Professor Edda Lwoga said the college currently has 23,111 enrolled students, a number she described as below the set target due to limited campuses.
She revealed that starting January next year, CBE will open a new campus in Kilimanjaro Region, expanding its presence to all five zones, adding to existing campuses in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, and Mbeya.
“Our college continues to perform well, and we believe we can do even better, especially now that we are engaging in major projects. Previously, we ranked eighth in service delivery among higher learning institutions, but our goal is to be among the top three,” she said.
The 2025 Sixth Academic Conference is being held under the theme: “Enhancing Economic and Business Resilience for Inclusive Development.”
