PM tells universities to produce job creators

From LUDOVICK KAZOKA in Dodoma

PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has challenged higher learning institutions in the county to improve their programmes to provide students with skills for self employment upon graduation.

Mr Majaliwa made the call here at a meeting with the newly appointed University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) Vice-Chancellor, Prof William Anangisye, who had paid a courteous call on him in his office over the weekend.
“There has been a mindset among our university students that they should be employed after graduation. It’s now vital to change that attitude by imparting them with skills for self employment,” said the Premier. He said university students were expected to have the capacity to design jobs, noting that the graduates are duty-bound to create employment opportunities for the less educated.
Mr Majaliwa said graduates can create jobs through engaging themselves in agricultural activities to provide industries with the required raw materials to realise the government’s industrialisation drive. “Graduates can create job opportunities by engaging themselves in food processing business or mining activities,” he observed.
In the meantime, Mr Majaliwa commended the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rwekaza Mukandala, for the great achievements the university had registered under his administration. Prof Anangisye promised to work hard to meet the government expectations, adding that UDSM had recently established the School of Fishery and Agriculture to prepare future experts in agriculture and fishery sectors.
“We also plan to set up model farms for various crops to provide our students with practical training,” said the don. Last year, the government embarked on ‘My Region, My Industry’ campaign that aimed at attaining 100 small and medium industries to every region by November this year. The industrial drive also envisages more job opportunities.