BACKGROUND OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION (NACTE)

 

Who We Are?

The National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) is a corporate body established by the National Council for Technical Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 9 of 1997). The Act provides a legal framework for the Council to coordinate provision of technical education and training and establish an efficient national qualifications system that will ensure that products from technical institutions are of high quality and respond to changing needs as well as technological innovations in the world.

Technical education in this context is defined as “education and training undertaken by students to equip them to play roles requiring higher levels of skills, knowledge and understanding and in which they take responsibility for their areas of specialization”. NACTE is thus, a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral body empowered to oversee and coordinate the provision of technical education and training in Tanzania.

The Scope of the Council

The scope of NACTE covers all tertiary education and training institutions, other than Universities and their affiliated colleges, delivering courses at technician, semi-professional and professional levels leading to awards of certificates, diplomas, degrees and other related awards.

The mandate of the National Council for Technical Education as derived from Cap. 129 is three fold and may be summarized as below:
Regulatory Function: to establish the regulatory framework for technical education and training, leading to quality assured qualifications;
Quality Assurance Function: to assist technical institutions to improve and maintain the quality of the education they provide and to ensure that their programmes meet labour market demand, by guiding and monitoring their adherence to the regulatory framework; and
Advisory Function:to advise both Government and technical institutions on the strategic development of technical education and training can be made.

These three aspects are interrelated and together make up the core functions of NACTE; a process leading to quality assured qualifications in technical education and training in our country.
Vision

An exemplary regulatory body to oversee the quality of Technical Education and Training for National socio-economic development.
Mission

To oversee the provision of quality Technical Education and Training, through registration and accreditation of tertiary non-university institutions, and advising the Government on development of quality technical education and training for the benefit of Tanzanians.
Objectives

The mission statement is translated into the following three main objectives:-
(a) To establish and maintain the regulatory framework for technical and vocational technical education and training, leading to quality-assured qualifications;
(b) To assist technical and vocational institutions to improve and maintain the quality of the education they provide and to ensure that their programmes meet labour market demands by guiding and monitoring their adherence to the regulatory framework; and
(c) To advise the Government on the strategic development of technical
and vocational education and training so that it can make informed decisions with regard to policymaking.