Vocational Training
Brighton Mariki
Mr Brighton Mariki, the Principal of Mshiri Vocational Training School from its opening in 1999, very sadly died on 22nd January 2011. His dedicated work established the reputation of the School and his death leaves a great void.
Interviews have taken place for a new Principal, and the short-listed candidates will be interviewed again with a view to an appointment in July.
Over 50% of local Tanzanian children have no chance of education after finishing primary school at age 14.
Village Education Project Kilimanjaro was encouraged by villagers to help provide some skills training and built a small vocational training school which was opened in 1999 in Mshiri village.
It offers training in: carpentry, masonry, tailoring & crafts. Each of the courses includes some business skills training and all students are given maths and English lessons.
The three main courses run from 1 to 3 years and students sit the Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) national examinations. At the end of 2010, the School had 100% success rate in theory and practical papers of all its students who sat the VETA exams.
The carpentry and masonry students have made furniture for the school, built classrooms to extend the training school, and built the school's kitchen hut and lavatory block. In tailoring & crafts the students produce goods for sale to the tourist market in Marangu. Marangu is close to Kilimanjaro National Park, and the Marangu Route is one of the most popular routes to climb the mountain.
The school is not yet financially self-sufficient as the level of fees from local students cannot be high enough to run the school so we must continue to provide assistance. We see a tremendous future for this practical initiative.
Carpentry student decorates his spoon |
Demonstration of brick-making |
Shop and Chagga house during construction |
Read more about the Vocational Training School.