DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzania and China have launched a joint project that aims to boost vocational education through the development of new vocational standards in the East African nation.

The National Occupational Standards Review and Development Project, launched on June 15, was sponsored by the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance and supervised by Tanzania's state-run National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET).

A total of 43 Chinese vocational colleges in China will participate in the first phase of the project, involving 54 different levels of vocational standards, said the moderator of the launch, Jiang Yilin, Chinese secretary-general of the China-Africa Vocational Education Alliance.

The development of these standards will have a far-reaching impact on the development of vocational education in Tanzania, said Jiang.

"This is the first time that China has directly developed and revised vocational standards for an African country on a large scale," said Prof Dong Gang, Chairman of China's National Joint Conference of Vocational & Technical College and University Presidents.

Dong said this also marked an important milestone for the international outreach of China's vocational education.

Adolf Rutayuga, the NACTVET executive secretary, said the project will facilitate the development of vocational education and training in Tanzania and lay the foundation for the establishment of new educational standards.

Rutayuga added that the project will also help to develop a large pool of talented and skilled workers, ensure that vocational education graduates meet the needs of the international market, and further enhance Tanzania's industrialization level.

Eliamani Sedoyeka, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Tanzania, said the implementation of the project will open a new chapter for China-Tanzania vocational education cooperation, promote the entry of Chinese vocational standards into Tanzania, and make new contributions to the continuation of China-Tanzania friendship.

Liang Xiaoyan, the lead education specialist of the World Bank, witnessed the partnership between Tanzania and China in developing and reviewing occupational standards in key areas such as transportation, renewable energy, information, and communication technology, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Liang said the standards to be addressed in the project defined competencies for jobs and occupations and can provide a framework for training.

She said the government of Tanzania is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the curriculum and introducing reforms to the education and training sector, adding that the Tanzania, China, and World Bank partnership on TVET is timely and will make a contribution to help improve the quality of training and graduates.