VETA rolls out recycling courses for youth

DODOMA: THE Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) has introduced specialised short courses in recycling to equip young people with skills to safely manage waste, reduce health risks and create economic opportunities.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Hussein Mohamed Omar, said over the weekend that the courses will cover skills across the waste value chain, from collection and transportation to management and recycling.

He said the initiative follows findings that many young people working in the waste sector face health and safety risks, while the country previously lacked a specialised curriculum to address these challenges.

“We have developed VETA short courses in recycling. A waste collection truck driver needs to understand sector requirements, while a waste company manager also needs specific skills,” Dr Omar said. He noted that the curriculum was developed in collaboration with the Vice-President’s Office and focuses on skills needed at different levels of the waste value chain.

Dr Omar was speaking in Dodoma during a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Culture and Sports to VETA Bahi College.

He said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to using vocational training to address emerging social and economic challenges, while strengthening collaboration with the private sector.

The ministry is also identifying skilled professionals from various industries and incorporating their practical experience into VETA training programmes.

Dr Omar cited furniture specialist Edo Sama, who recycles more than half of discarded wood to produce furniture.

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He said such expertise could help improve VETA’s furniture training programmes, while promoting the conversion of waste into valuable products.

“We believe that to improve our training, VETA should engage practitioners who are already performing efficiently and use their experience to strengthen skills development,” he said.

He added that the government is working with other private-sector players, including Hans Paul Company in Arusha, which manufactures vehicles for the tourism sector, to provide students with hands-on industry experience.

Dr Omar said the approach aligns with the government’s emphasis on private-sector participation in skills development and job creation for young people.