Tanzania and China have agreed to strengthen cooperation in technical and vocational education, with a focus on equipping young people with skills required by industry and emerging technologies.
The commitment was reached during talks in Tianjin, China, between Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology Wanu Hafidh Ameir and China’s Vice Minister of Education, Ren Youqun.
The discussions centred on expanding training opportunities, strengthening institutional partnerships and developing a skilled workforce capable of supporting Tanzania’s economic transformation.
Mr Ameir said China had remained an important partner in Tanzania’s education sector through infrastructure development, scholarships, professional training and exchanges of experts.
He cited the construction of the University of Dar es Salaam library and the Kagera Regional Vocational Training and Service Centre as examples of projects that had helped improve learning environments and expand access to education.
He said Tanzania was keen to maximise opportunities under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), including plans to establish four vocational training colleges to provide skills aligned with industrial requirements and technological developments.
The initiative is expected to support the country’s long-term development ambitions under Development Vision 2050, as well as the Education and Training Policy of 2014, revised in 2023, which emphasises practical training and the acquisition of modern skills.
The focus on technical and vocational education comes as Tanzania seeks to strengthen the link between training institutions and the labour market, ensuring graduates are better prepared to meet employers’ needs and contribute to productivity.
On his part, Mr Ren said China would continue supporting scholarship programmes and exchanges involving students and professionals from the two countries.
He added that Beijing would expand academic assistance and opportunities for Tanzanian youth to access technical and vocational training, with the aim of strengthening the country’s human resource capacity for development projects.
Mr Ren said Chinese-supported projects in Tanzania had also facilitated practical training, curriculum improvements and exchanges of expertise between educational institutions in the two countries.
More than 2,000 Tanzanian young people have already benefited from training in construction and engineering, according to the information provided.
The experience is expected to contribute to improving the quality of vocational education and building a workforce capable of supporting infrastructure development and broader economic growth.
The strengthened partnership signals a continued push by the two countries to make skills development a central component of their cooperation, particularly in areas where industrial expansion and technological change are increasing demand for specialised expertise.