There is a need for Higher learning institution to change teaching timetable to suit the global demand as a solution for fresh graduate youth unemployment.
In this article Jamil Amon Mwalupindi of Student Network on AIDS and Poverty in Tanzania (SNAP-TZ) examines the subject in depth.
It is time now for Tanzania varsities and colleges to change their teaching timetable to allow student get time to do some extra activities to increase their competency and skills in their field of study and outside their area of specialization.
There is high demand now in the global and local labor market for experience and network (exposure) than mere class knowledge.
In Tanzania, theoretical studies has been given high priorities than practical studies, that is why you can find student spend 90 per cent of their time in theory and only 10 per cent for practical.
Taking example of student with 3 years course spend only 6 weeks for practical training while the rest of the time are spent in classes for theory.
Let us learn from other developed countries like USA, UK and SA where students are given time to work as part time workers or can do business and their varsities respect and recognize them.
I remember one day our lecturer told us "you are full time student so you're supposed to be at university premises at anytime" being enrolled as a full time students does not mean that you become a slave/prison of academic timetable that old system way of thinking and does not go with dynamic global environment. The tendency of unannounced test and quizzes to our varsity is still operating.
Human capital is the most important resource in the process of development and should be handled with much care and with all attention.
Other developed countries recognize and respect every able person to work are being given opportunity to participate in productive activities.
Their policies allow higher learning students to work and participate in productive activities that bring wealth for the national, individual and increase independence to youths.
Non-attractive learning environment is among the factors that attract many youth to prefer studying abroad than in our country. In Tanzania varsity students there dominated with stories of supplementary examination and discontinuation but to varsity students studying abroad we hear about I earned USD20 per week.
Universities in our country have a very complex and tight teaching and learning academic schedule that does not give opportunity for student to participate in extra curricular like gaining experience and increasing their public relation (PR)/networks as part time workers or volunteers.
The timetable coordinator looks only to one side the side of lecturers and does not consider students interest and rights.
They fix time according to how the lecturer needs, lecturer normally have many duties of research and consultation and considering teaching as the last among the least.
The global labor market demands graduate with experience and skills, how can a fresh graduate have that experience while there is no room for the students to get chance to work as apart time or volunteers during their studies.
Also there is high need now of networks very well know as Public relation (PR) in public system. Who knows you rather than who knows what is dominant factor in labor market.
Do we expect student a son/daughter of a farmer from interior to get employment easily in any exist formal system. If we will not allow them to interact with the system to show their competency and commitment, they will continue to suffer and suffer searching for unsearchable job.
Our graduate needs to build strong network while still studying so that they atleast know some people in the system who can assist them when in the process searching for job.
Students don't get even time to attend seminar workshop or exhibition where they could network due to very tight academic schedules.
The timetable is supposed to be fair to both teachers and students. For example instead of student having lectures and seminars at intervals 7am, 11am, 3pm and 6pm should atleast be arranged if morning be morning like from 7am to 12pm or 1pm to 8pm.
In that instance student might think of engaging themselves in other activities apart from academic one.
Even if it is an examination test should atleast be fixed within the academic timetable from Monday to Friday and not as it is now Saturday and Sunday.
We are all aware of inflated prices of all domestic goods in Tanzania, which has caused increase in high cost of living; none is living without money even students needs money to buy some basic needs to sustain their life.
The allowance they are getting isn`t enough, they need some ample time to work as part time or do business and earn some little money to top up from what they are getting.
Ladies are the mostly affected because they always naturally have complex kind of life and need some extra money than boys, when they fail to get from justice source they engage in dangerous behavior that put their life at high risk of acquiring the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Part time working for students will also reduce the habit of student's from demonstration/boycotting demanding for increased boom (allowances) and increase the capacity of loan board to finance more students instead of thinking of increasing allowances.
Free advice to the government, should learn from other countries about this issue and introduce the policy that will allow and encourage students to find part time job while still studying, through this student will develop network, gain experience and skills hence increase their employability.
Students should develop the habit of volunteering in various socio-economical activities; it is where networks, experiences and skills comes from and learn to use their time in productive activities than leisure issues.