VETA management censored over unspent 15bn/- development fund
Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA)’s management came under strong condemnation yesterday, accused of keeping idle a whopping 14.5bn/- development fund.
The authority’s bureaucratic student registration system was also at the centre of criticism. Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Minister, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, decried the way VETA management was executing its duties, citing the twoyear delay in procurement of the authority’s project consultant.
Launching VETA’s newboard of directors, the minister charged that the authority has about 15bn/- in its coffers for improvement of the vocational training centres across the country but not a penny has been spent.
“I have reports that VETA has 14.5bn/- for execution of development projects at various training centres across the country, but not a penny has been spent ... whenever I ask, I’m told that they are still seeking the project consultant.
Is that consultant coming from heaven,” Prof Ndalichako fumed. She tasked the new Board Chairman, Mr Peter Maduki, to ensure the projects take off immediately, ordering that stern measures be taken against anybody impeding the projects.
She argued that the delays in projects indicate elements of corruption, saying the management could be looking for consultants of their personal interest or their own companies.
“We have many vocational training centres in need of construction works, with others yearning for rehabilitation ... the money is there idle, with getting people to execute the work taking over two years,” complained the minister, citing the pending construction of 11 workshops, four in Coast, three in Manyara and four in Lindi regions.
We are almost in the final quarter of the financial year 2016/17, yet they have not spent a cent of the 1.950bn/-.
There is another construction project for teachers’ training centres in Chato and Nyasa districts ... although 195m/- are available for the projects, VETA say they are still at the design stage,” she added.
Prof Ndalichako told the board members that VETA has many challenges regarding decisions making on development projects, directing them to keep the management at their toes to uphold President John Magufuli’s slogan of ‘Hapa Kazi Tu’ and provide good results.
On student registration, the minister directed the authority to explore the best system that will not require students to physical visit the centres for registration to attract more students to vocational training centres across the country.
She also proposed the construction of dormitories to accommodate students who live far away from the training centres, stressing that currently the centres do not meet the demand.
They challenged VETA board and management to deliberate on whether the vocational training centres should leave the masonry and carpentry courses and instead focus on serious courses geared at supporting the government’s industrialisation drive.
“Vocational training is a critical ingredient for prioritisation towards the building of industrial economy.
Industries cannot be run without human resources equipped with modern skills.
The new board must evaluate how VETA can contribute to the industrial economy agenda,” she said. VETA acting Director General, Dr Bwire Ndazi, said VETA faces a myriad of challenges, including low capacity to meet demand for vocational training in the country.
Dr Ndazi said there are about 600,000 students seeking to join VETA’s training centres annually against the 125,000 student capacity available in the public and private centres.