SUBJECT COMBINATIONS: Graduates to fit in job market

DAR ES SALAAM: EDUCATION stakeholders have welcomed the government decision to introduce more subject combinations, saying the new groups of subjects prepare students to fit in the labour market and grab numerous opportunities available in the country.

They say the new subject combinations announced this week by the government is in line with the new education policy and curriculum which became effective in January this year. The addition of 49 new combinations makes a total of 65 with which students are set to join Form Five in July of this year, a measure that gives students a wide choice of fields of study.

Interviewed separately by the ‘Sunday News’ education stakeholders, including parents and students expressed optimism that the government has responded to the public outcry that called for transforming the country’s education system to open more opportunities for students in the labour market.

Education Initiatives Tanzania, Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Nkonya said that the new combinations aim to produce employable generation. “This is the implementation of the new curriculum which focuses on education for employability……. the power to attract money,” said Mr Nkonya.

He said that increasing language combinations, will foster strong diplomatic relations between Tanzania and other nations and prepare students for the international job market.

Mr Nkonya said that the new combinations with international languages will help Tanzanians who want to venture in business, especially by travelling to other countries such as China, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to do it without any language barrier.

According to Mr Nkonya, wider students’ engagement in language prepares them to face the international labour market. He added: “This kind of curriculum is now responding to the biggest concern in the education system in Tanzania as it prepares students to fit in the market and fully exploit the opportunities that are available in the country which are currently taken by foreigners.”

For his part, Assistant Lecturer from School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Damas Kamala said the new combinations will help to prepare students to become professionals right from high schools.

“The new combinations will help students to become competent in their professions because by the time they join universities they will have become competent in the courses that they are going to pursue,” said Mr Kamala.

Furthermore, Iringa-based Kwavava Secondary School Headmistress, Vicky Kassanga said the new combinations will help students to prepare for self-employment rather than waiting for government employment. She said: “This is a more practical kind of education as the curriculum prepares students to practice skills they have acquired in schools and become more competent, enabling them to fit in the international labour market.”

On his part, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the online learning platform, Samart Darasa, Mr Elias Elisante, said the changes have come at the right time and they will provide students with a wide range of options in all fields, which will stimulate creativity and knowledge to promote fruitful education in the country.

“The combinations like Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science (PMCs) will prepare future technology professionals to have an understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is currently revolutionising many sectors.

Additionally, business studies have been given great importance, which will drive development by providing entrepreneurial insights,” said Mr Elisante. Furthermore, he added that as education stakeholders, they have prepared to adapt to the changes as part of the education policy implementation.

A parent, Mr Said Bunga who resides in Dar es Salaam, said that they received the changes positively because the new combinations will avail opportunities to students to choose areas of their interest.

“As parents, we have the responsibility to ensure children realise their dream, but it is also the students’ responsibility to ensure that subjects they choose benefit them and align with their future goals,” said Mr Bunga.

Mr Bunga urged parents to assist their children who expect to join Form Five by discussing and advising them to select the combinations wisely by considering the subjects they have pursued.

Mr Melcksesius Kabogo, a student, who expects to join Form Five this year, expressed his gratitude for the adjustment of the combinations, saying the measure gives students a broader range of choices to pursue what they love and capable of doing. “Now we will have a wide choice of combinations basing on our personal preferences.

This will enable us to have a better understanding of the subjects we pursue and have a genuine passion in what we will have opted to study when we join colleges, enhancing our prospects in the job market ,” noted Mr Kabogo.