The Toyota Motors of Japan will soon start impacting modern vehicle maintenance skills to young Tanzanians, especially the youth who have undergone technical training.
This is according to Professor Adolf Mkenda the Minister of Education, Science, and Technology.
The Minister was speaking in Arusha during the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Exhibition 2023.
Prof Mkenda explained that after visiting one of the pavilions, he learned that Toyota Motors of Japan has entered into agreement with the Jema Institute of Technology which operates from Mwanza City.
JEMA has hatched the agreement with Toyota through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
He said Toyota will be training local Tanzanian youths to repair, handle and maintain modern vehicles from Japan.
“The technology behind the cars we are currently using changes rapidly, with most modern vehicles applying more electronics in their system,” Professor Mkenda pointed out.
The Minister maintained that the yesteryear mechanics who dealt with mostly mechanical cars may find modern vehicles full of circuit boards baffling.
“I therefore laud Jema Institute of Technology for the initiative of upgrading the skills of young mechanics to go in sync with modern cars requirement, but especially through incorporating the car makers themselves,” Professor Mkenda stated.
The car in front of you is always a Toyota.
Apparently, Toyota accounts for almost 80 percent of all personal cars and government vehicles cruising on Tanzanian roads.
The Government-Owned Arusha Technical College, which is among the participating institutions at the NACTVET exhibitions in Arusha, pioneered modern car diagnosis training using computers.
The ATC accomplished that in conjunction with senior experts from the Netherlands.
The Executive Secretary of the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET) Dr Adolf Rutayuga said they were working to ensure that all students come out of their training well prepared to undertake any tasks thrown to them.
“We are so far linking graduates from technical institutions with employers,” said Dr Rutayuga
He said the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training was planning to build 64 Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) centers.
More than 300 exhibitors have set up pavilions at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium, along Col. Middleton Road in Arusha.
The National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Exhibition 2023 went hand in hand with special Symposium, which previously attracted 250 participants.