Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Ambassador Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, has urged the private sector to strengthen collaboration with higher learning institutions by investing in research, particularly in science and technology, to improve the quality of education and innovation in the country.
Dr Nchimbi made the remarks in Dar es Salaam during the launch of the Education Institutions–Employers Partnership Programme at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC).
He said the initiative provides a practical framework for the private sector to contribute to education development through funding research and offering scholarships in fields aligned with labour market demands.
He emphasised the need for education institutions and the private sector to keep pace with rapid global advances in science and technology when implementing the programme.
He said closer cooperation is required to identify current and future skills, especially in science, technology, innovation, health, engineering and mathematics, to enable Tanzanian youth to compete effectively in both local and international job markets.
The Vice President said stronger linkages between education institutions and industry are essential in the modern economy, noting that universities can no longer operate as centres of theory alone, while industries cannot grow sustainably without a skilled workforce that matches technological change and market competition.
He added that the Sixth Phase Government has placed strategic priority on developing skills, competencies and employability among young people and graduates at all levels, stressing that sustainable national development depends on a knowledgeable and productive human resource base.
Dr Nchimbi said the government has continued to implement wide-ranging reforms in education policies and curricula to build a flexible, inclusive and market-oriented education system.
The reforms aim to align training with learners’ talents and real labour market needs, while responding to technological change and growing national and global competition.
The launch of the programme fulfils a pledge made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the 2025 General Election campaigns, when she committed to establishing a joint framework involving employers, vocational training institutions and universities.
The initiative seeks to align training with the needs of priority national sectors within 100 days of her swearing-in.
The programme focuses on strengthening strategic linkages between education and workplace performance, with priority sectors including energy, information and communication technology (ICT) and value-adding industries.
It also aims to produce graduates who are employable, capable of self-employment and able to contribute effectively to national development by shifting education from theory-based learning to a skills-driven, practical and innovation-focused model.
The event was attended by senior government officials, Members of Parliament, religious leaders, development partners, employers, industrialists, heads of institutions, college principals and students.