VETA rolls out skills training for inmates
KILIMANJARO: THE Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) Northern Zone has begun preparations to introduce vocational training for prisoners so as to equip inmates with job skills, improving behaviour and helping them become self-reliant after serving their sentences.
VETA Director for Northern Zone, Ms Monica Mbelle, announced the initiative during a joint meeting between VETA officials and representatives of the Tanzania Prisons Service (TPS) held in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.
Ms Mbelle said the collaboration between the two government institutions was important and that the establishment of the programme would enable the prisoners to acquire vocational skills needed in the job market and selfemployment.
“The vocational training programme will cover a wide range of trades in prisons across the Northern Zone and is expected to benefit thousands of male and female inmates each year, helping them reintegrate into society and secure employment after release,” Ms Mbelle said.
She added, “Through this partnership, VETA and the Prison Service aim to equip inmates with practical skills that are in demand in the labour market, enabling them to find jobs or start their own businesses after completing their sentences,” she added.
For his part, the Moshi based Karanga Prison representative during the meeting Inspector of Prisons Godfrey Madegwa, thanked the VETA Northern Zone office for its willingness to collaborate with the Prison department in carrying out the role of reforming prisoners’ behaviour through vocational training.
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He said the Prison department’s goals are not only to reform prisoners’ behaviour, but also to prepare them to become good citizens who will later on become self-reliant when they return to the society after serving their sentences.
“When a prisoner completes his or her sentence, he or she faces the many negative challenges from the members of the society. The vocational training programme will build their capacity to engage in various productive activities and earn an income, which will help them start a new life independently and with great respect,” he said.
Inspector Madegwa continued to say that, the training will provide prisoners with productive skills that will prepare them to live productive lives and give back to society, avoid dependency lives and increase the opportunity to build a better life after leaving prison.
The collaboration between VETA Northern Zone and the Prison Service is expected to strengthen the provision of vocational training to prisoners based on the needs of the job market and self-employment opportunities, as part of efforts to ensure that they return to society with skills, discipline and the ability to be independent.
