Center of Excellence: Tanzania seeks global partnerships to equip DTC

DODOMA: The government is in discussions with global health and specialized polytechnic institutions to see how the newly established Dodoma Technical College (DTC) can be equipped with modern workshops, as it aims to make the institution a center of excellence in biomedical engineering.

Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Prof. Adolf Mkenda stated this in Dodoma on Friday afternoon when he welcomed Abbott Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and External Affairs, Ms Melissa Brotz, at the college’s Nala Campus.

Prof Mkenda informed Ms Melissa—who also serves as President of the Abbott Fund—that Tanzania has made various reforms in its education sector purposely for graduates of various disciplines to acquire the skills needed in the contemporary world.

He said the Abbott boss visited Tanzania to inspect various projects being implemented by the foundation. “I asked her to come and visit this college because Abbott has supported Tanzania a lot in the health sector.”

He noted that DTC has not yet enrolled students, but the government is determined to ensure the institution hits the ground running, which is why it is engaging various stakeholders for support.

Referring to Tanzania’s new education policy, Deputy Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Ms Wanu Hafidh Ameir stated that the country is shifting from general knowledge to practical skills, and consequently, more resources are being injected into the education sector to realize this goal.

“And the things (DTC) that you see… We are going to have to be ready at the right time. These are the opportunities that are coming,” she said.

On her part, Melissa hailed the government’s initiatives in the education sector, of which Abbott has been a proud partner.

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She noted that Abbott has been working in partnership with Tanzania for over two decades to improve the health sector.

She also praised the performance of primary schools in the results released by the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA), which saw all pupils from an Abbott-funded school in the Tanga region pass with Grade A.

Dr Aikande Kwayu, Director of the Samia Scholarship Extended Program—which focuses on data science, artificial intelligence, and related scientific fields—appreciated the initiatives aimed at transforming the education sector, noting that those outside the system often fail to understand how it operates.

She added that the scholarships offered under the initiative target high-performing students regardless of their school background or other criteria.

Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Culture, and Sports, who also serves as the MP for Chato North, Mr. Cornel Magembe, promised that parliament will ensure the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology’s plans to boost education are well-funded to help the country close technical skill gaps.

DTC is purposefully dedicated to providing quality skills development for students transitioning from secondary school skill streams and Vocational Training Centres. This focus was explicitly underscored by Prof. Adolf Mkenda during his address to the National Assembly on November 7, 2024.

To ensure prompt operationalization and the delivery of high-quality training, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology granted the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) the mandate to oversee DTC on October 10, 2024.

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