Government Pushes for Vocational Training in Prisons

Tanzania’s Minister for Home Affairs Innocent Bashungwa, has urged the Tanzania Prisons Service to take full charge of a new initiative designed to provide vocational training to prisoners.

The goal is to equip inmates with valuable skills and offer them nationally recognized certificates from VETA (Vocational Education and Training Authority) when they complete their sentences, giving them a better chance at reintegrating into society once they are released.

On February 14, 2025, during a visit to the Prisons Headquarters in Dodoma, Minister Bashungwa outlined the importance of this program, which is in line with directives from President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The President had previously called for the Prisons Service to offer vocational training to inmates, particularly focusing on those who enter prison without skills. This initiative aims to give them both the training and certification they need, enabling them to stand on their own feet upon their release.

“The President directed that we ensure all inmates, whether they enter prison with skills or not, receive relevant training. Those with existing skills will have them formalized and certified,” Bashungwa explained.

In addition to the training program, Minister Bashungwa expressed gratitude to the President for supporting the Prisons Service with new equipment and resources. This includes seven new buses, which will be used to transport detainees from prisons to courts, helping ensure that their cases are heard in a timely manner.

After the buses were launched, Bashungwa asked Prisons Commissioner General, CGP Jeremiah Katungu, and the management to take good care of these vehicles to ensure they serve their intended purpose well.

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Minister Bashungwa also highlighted another milestone, saying that all prisons in Tanzania have now switched to using safe, clean cooking energy, further improving the conditions within correctional facilities.

In response, CGP Katungu thanked the government for supporting the Prisons Service with these vital resources, emphasizing that the new buses would help detainees get to their court hearings on time, ultimately contributing to the delivery of justice.

This new initiative marks a critical step in the government’s efforts to reform the prison system by focusing on rehabilitation rather than just punishment. By providing inmates with skills and certifications, the program hopes to help reduce recidivism and support their successful reintegration into society after their release.

The partnership between the Prisons Service and VETA will also ensure that the training is relevant to the job market, helping prisoners gain practical skills that will serve them long after they leave the prison system.