Committee launched to facilitate UDOM response to job market needs

MINISTER for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adolf Mkenda has launched and industrial advisory committee of the University of Dodoma (UDOM) that aimed at making their curriculum relevant to job market.

Prof Mkenda launched the advisory committee under the five-year Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project, funded by the government through the World Bank loan.

He said it was important to update curriculum, introduce and build functional linkages with the industries and private sector. He called for a curriculum that impart students with skills that align with the market needs and economic opportunities.

“We want our education and curriculum give graduates knowledge and skills, which will empower them and be confident enough to undertake economic and social opportunities effectively,” said Prof Mkenda

Earlier, UDOM Vice Chancellor, Professor Lugano Kusiluka, was optimistic that the industrial advisory committee will support the institution to improve and update its curriculum to have well prepared graduates for the job market.

“We want to update our curriculum to address the questions raised by the employers and shortcomings in skills for the best graduates,” he insisted

Prof Kusiluka said they also improve their programmes to ensure they produce competent and skilled graduates for the job market.

He said the UDOM was ready to make transformation in the education which is capital for development by coming up with a product that meets both local and international market demand, promising that they will use the committee’s advice to foster national development.

Earlier, UDOM’s HEET Project Coordinator, Professor Razak Lokina said the funds will be invested in strategic areas, including construction of classes, laboratories and other infrastructures.

He noted that they will also upgrade learning resources and equipment, updating curriculum and introducing innovative pedagogical methodologies, promoting applied research and innovation capacity.

Other areas include building functional linkages with the private sector, developing online learning platforms and digital technology applications, establishing state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and equipment, building capacity of academic staff and university leadership.

UDOM is among 14-higher learning institutions beneficiaries of HEET project and 23-million US dollars has been allocated to the university whereby 8-million US dollars will be dedicated to the construction of a government ICT centre.