PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting entrepreneurship through policies and programmes aimed at helping people integrate into the labour market and start gainful activities.

At a ground-breaking ceremony for the 1.6bn/- Makomelo Vocational School in Nzega, Tabora Region yesterday, the premier said that the government has allocated 44.7bn/- for the construction of vocational schools in each region to ease access to specialised training.

The schools are intended to empower individuals to start gainful activities and even employ others, in enhancing the learning and teaching environment, delivering education that equips individuals with practical skills aligned with the needs of the market, he said.

“The government’s goal is to provide young people with skills they can use to generate income and address the challenge of unemployment. Fortunately, our education policy has prioritised vocational training, he stated.

The Prime Minister's Office has been involved in extending the provision of vocational training for young people in various fields, enrolled in public and private institutions to develop the skills needed to improve their adaptation capacities.

Research into how to improve youth employment where the youth were themselves involved and their feedback was significant showed that many of their suggestions centred on enhancing vocational training.

This is best done through establishing specialised technical training programmes at various levels, he stated, asking the Nzega District council director to carry out a census of the elderly in the area and ensure that the district has a desk dedicated to hear their problems.

“The government has directed that the elderly be recognised by each local council and provided with identification cards to access free services. Set up a special window and conduct a census of the elderly based on established criteria so that they can be identified and served,” he elaborated.

Bukene MP Selemani Zedi appreciated government performance in the past four years, in implementing various development projects in water, education, health and infrastructure sectors.

The premier had earlier inaugurated a new bus terminal in Nzega town, billed at 4.327bn/-.

Launching the fully completed terminal, he praised the local council for deciding to build the terminal, emphasising that it would create business opportunities for the local community.

"This is a high-quality terminal. It should start operating soon so the people can begin benefiting from it. Local council staff should guide the people of Nzega to take full advantage of the opportunities in their area," he added.