VETA Students Urge Government to Provide Buses and Trucks for Practical Training
Some students from the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) college in Shinyanga Region, who are studying bus and truck driving, have advised the government to provide such vehicles to the college in order to improve practical training.
The students said that although the government has made significant efforts to provide opportunities for youth, especially girls, to join vocational training institutions, there is still a challenge of lacking buses and trucks for hands-on practice.
Speaking to journalists at the college, one of the students, Mary Jacksoni, said the training they receive is good, but the absence of heavy vehicles limits their practical experience.
She explained that currently many employers prefer female drivers because they are often considered more trustworthy.
“We think that if the government can create a plan to provide buses and trucks, even if they are broken down, our mechanics here can repair them and it will become part of our practical training,” Mary said.
Another student, Suzana Eliasi, said that the administration of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has given greater respect and opportunities to women in various professions, including driving heavy vehicles.
However, she noted that the lack of buses and trucks at the college remains a major challenge. She suggested that damaged vehicles from government institutions, including the military and public corporations, be given to VETA colleges for training purposes.
“Broken trucks and buses from the army or public institutions can be taken to VETA so students can learn practically. This will also help reduce road accidents because drivers will be better trained,” Suzana said.
On his part, the Head of the VETA College in Shinyanga, Abrahamu Mbuguni, acknowledged the shortage of training vehicles, especially at a time when the number of students interested in learning heavy-vehicle driving has increased significantly.
He said the number of students, particularly girls, has grown so much that sometimes the college is forced to turn some applicants away.
“There has been a large increase in students, especially girls. Sometimes when we turn them away, they complain, saying this opportunity was opened by the Sixth Phase Government under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan,” Mbuguni said.
He added that the idea of receiving damaged trucks and buses is feasible because the college has the capacity to repair them and use them for practical training.
“When I arrived here, there was a shortage of training vehicles and even the principal’s vehicle. But we started by repairing broken vehicles and now they are in use. If we receive buses and trucks, even damaged ones, we can repair them and use them for training so that the President’s vision for youth can be achieved,” he explained.
He also encouraged parents and guardians in Shinyanga Region to take advantage of the college by enrolling their children in vocational training programs.
Mbuguni noted that many students currently studying at the college come from outside Shinyanga Region, including Zanzibar, while the response from local residents remains relatively low.
“Parents and guardians should make use of this opportunity because the college offers valuable skills training for young people,” he said.
