Munishi, Dr. Emmanuel J.
Description:
Currently, employers in Tanzania are seriously concerned about the lack of employable skills among
technical education graduates given that they undergo Competency-Based Education and Training
which exposes them to right knowledge, skills and attitude. This paper therefore explores factors
contributing to lack of employable skills among Technical and Vocational Education graduates in
Tanzania and recommend ways of training technical graduates who are more labour market
responsive. The paper utilises Historical Dialectical Materialism approach, which suggests looking
into the past and present in order to properly understand why contemporary technical education
graduates lack employable skills and how to fix the problem. Drawing on secondary data and in-depth
interviews with key stakeholders the findings show that lack of job competencies among graduates
fundamentally emanates from poor training at primary and secondary levels resulting from
incompetent teachers and inadequate facilities. The problem is further fuelled by ineffective
curriculum, incompetent lecturers, less emphasis on general knowledge and skills as well as lack of
career guidance at higher training levels. Furthermore, these weaknesses have been constantly
fertilised by ineffective development as well as unfavourable educational policies and reforms. These
factors should be holistically addressed in order to produce more labour market responsive TVET
graduates. The paper makes several contributions. Policy wise, the paper contributes insights on how
to promote employment through strengthening education system in Tanzania. On pedagogical
strategies the paper sheds light on the ways in which instructors and institutions can be supported to
equip students with more employable skills.