TELMS II project, a five-year initiative aimed at fostering national development through skills development, innovation and entrepreneurship will be implemented with a total budget of 54bn/-, from 2025 to 2030, with Italy government support.

Dr Kenneth Hosea, the acting director of Higher Education at the ministry, made this observation at a joint committee meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday, noting that Tanzania and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing reforms in technical education by implementation of the project.

TELMS II will anchor the national education and training policy by focusing on developing human capital that meets labour market demands, with a view to integrating technology, promoting innovation and fostering entrepreneurship in technical education institutions, he said.

In addition to skills training, strong emphasis is placed on sustainable energy and environmental conservation as pillars of advancing national development, aligned with global climate goals, he said.

Giuseppe Coppola, the resident Italian ambassador, highlighted the longstanding and fruitful cooperation between Tanzania and Italy, especially in education, pointing at Italian support for the transformative project aimed at equipping Tanzanian youth.

The youth need relevant technical and vocational skills necessary to compete in an increasingly dynamic global economy, he said.

“We are proud of the excellent diplomatic and development ties between Italy and Tanzania, and initiatives like TELMS II strengthen our shared vision for inclusive, sustainable development,” the envoy declared.

Dr Fredrick Salukele, the Technical Education and Vocational Training director and TELMS II national coordinator, said that the project’s direct beneficiaries include the Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), Arusha Technical College (ATC), the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), and the Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Zanzibar.

Prof. Aloys Mvuma, the MUST deputy vice chancellor; Prof. Musa Chacha, ATC principal, Prof. Preksedis Ndomba, the DIT principal and Dr Mahmoud Abdulwahab Alawi, the KIST director were also present at the meeting.

The project is expected to boost Tanzania’s capacity to deliver high-quality technical education and produce a skilled workforce that can drive economic transformation and sustainable development, the envoy added.