DODOMA: THE government has allocated 100bn/- for construction of Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) centres in 64 districts countrywide, the National Assembly was told yesterday.
The government has also embarked on a programme to construct a total of 100 technical secondary schools in various councils, which do not have vocational training colleges.
Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Omar Kipanga said the efforts are in line with the government plans to establish VETA centres in every region and district in the country.
He said, in 2023/24, the government set aside the same amount for the same purpose.
The Deputy Minister was responding to a question posed by Muharami Mkenge (Bagamoyo-CCM) who wanted to know when the government will construct VETA college in Bagamoyo District.
Deputy Minister stated that the government is currently continuing with its plan to build a vocational training college in every region and district that does not yet have one.
He noted that in the 2023/24 fiscal year, the government allocated 100 billion Tanzanian shillings to construct vocational training colleges in 64 districts, including the VETA college in Bagamoyo District, which is being built in the Chalinze Town Council.
“In addition to the ongoing construction of vocational training colleges, in the 2024/25 fiscal year, the government has begun implementing a plan to build 100 technical secondary schools in councils that do not have VETA colleges, as well as in other areas with a need for vocational training colleges.”
He said Adding that “The Bagamoyo District Council is among the councils that will have a technical secondary school built.”
The deputy minister explained that administratively the country has 139 districts, adding that VETA colleges have been built in 77 districts.
Equally, the deputy minister further called upon parents and guardians to enrol young people to the colleges that have already been built in various regions across the country.
According to the Deputy Minister, the government goal is to ensure there is a VETA college in all Districts in the country.
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He said young people who graduate from Secondary schools and higher learning institutions are encouraged to join VETA so that they can acquire skills and engage in various productive activities.
In another development, the Member of Parliament for Babati Town (CCM), Pauline Gekul wanted to know when the government will pay compensation to residents of Babati who are supposed to move from their areas to pave the way for the construction of bypass roads.
Responding to the question, the Deputy Minister for Works, Engineer Godfrey Kasekenya, said that after conducting a detailed design and assessment of the properties, the evaluation report that will be affected by the Babati Town bypass road project, the evaluation revealed the proposed road crosses through Babati Town and that a number of houses were likely to be demolished.
He said the evaluation indicated that the compensation amounted to approximately 9bn/- He said due to that situation, the government has instructed the Consulting Engineer to propose an alternative route outside the town.
According to the Deputy Minister, the government will not pay compensation anymore since the bypass road is no longer going to be constructed in the earlier proposed areas.
