Majaliwa said in Lindi during the weekend that VSomo which Airtel runs in collaboration with Vocational Education and Training Authority, is a game changer for Tanzanian youth who are interested in acquiring vocational skills without attending classes physically.
The PM who was officiating commencement of a weeklong youth celebrations, said the government is committed in making sure that young people get good education so as to contribute towards national development.
“‘The vocational online training through VSomo application will equip our youths with proper knowledge which will enable them get employed while others employ themselves,” Majaliwa stated.
“Our five year development plan as a nation is to make sure that our youths acquire vocational knowledge and skills so that they can contribute in an industrial economy. I take this opportunity to urge youths to use this VSomo platform to get vocational skills which will help them productive,” the PM added.
Speaking at the same event, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled, Jenista Mhagama said existing policies and laws have been a big challenge for the youths to establish own businesses.
“There are some countries which give up to three years tax holiday for youths’ newly established businesses or any other economic investment projects which is aimed at enabling more youths to be self-employed,” Mhagama said.
“We at the Ministry have started to make changes to our policy and regulations in areas of taxation and land ownership in order to give youths motivation to employ themselves,” she noted.
On her part, Airtel Tanzania Events Manager, Dangio Kaniki said that so far, 9,975 students have registered on VSomo platform while over 33,000 have downloaded the application through their mobile phones.
“To us, this is a big success and we believe it brings the desired results to equip Tanzanian youths with different vocational skills so that most of them are able to employ themselves,” Kaniki said.
Among the vocational skills available on VSomo includes: electric installation for domestic use, motorcycle mechanics, mobile phone repairs, welding, beauty care and modelling, catering and food services techniques, PC maintenance, industrial electrical installation, domestic plumbing, auto –electrical and PVC architectural structure.
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