The Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) is developing a short-course curriculum in recycling to equip young people with practical skills for safer waste management and value addition.
The initiative is expected to create new opportunities for youth in the growing waste-recycling sector while addressing health and safety challenges faced by people working in waste collection and processing.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Hussein Mohammed Omari, said the curriculum had been developed after research showed that some young people engaged in waste-related activities were exposed to health and safety risks.
Dr Omari spoke on August 15, 2026, during a visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Culture and Sports to Bahi VETA College in Dodoma.
He said the short courses would focus on practical skills across the waste value chain, including collection, sorting, processing and recycling.
“The curriculum has been developed based on the needs of stakeholders across the waste value chain,” Dr Omari said.
He said VETA was working with the Vice President’s Office, private-sector players, teacher-training institutions and employers to ensure the training responds to actual industry needs.
The move reflects growing efforts to shift waste management from a public health and environmental challenge into an economic opportunity, particularly for young people seeking employment or self-employment.
Dr Omari said VETA was also working with experts from different sectors to strengthen practical training and ensure graduates acquire skills that can be applied in the workplace.
He cited furniture specialist Edo Sama, who recycles more than 50 per cent of wood that would otherwise be discarded and uses it to manufacture furniture.
According to Dr Omari, the example demonstrates how recycling can reduce waste while creating value, business opportunities and livelihoods.
VETA is also expanding partnerships with private companies to provide students with hands-on experience.
Dr Omari cited Hans Paul of Arusha, a company that manufactures tourism vehicles, as one of the businesses working with the authority.
He said closer cooperation between vocational training institutions and the private sector was essential to producing graduates with skills demanded by employers.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen vocational education, promote practical skills and improve young people's access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
For young Tanzanians, the recycling courses could provide an entry point into a sector with potential for businesses in waste collection, sorting, processing, manufacturing and other forms of value addition.
