VIII. EDUCATION, LEISURE AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES 166. The State has undertaken a number of legislative, judicial, administrative or other measures to ensure that children in its jurisdiction do effectively enjoy their rights to education, recreation, leir\sure and participation in cultural activities. The State Party has also put in place institutional infrastructure for implementing policy and legislation in this area, particularly monitoring strategies and mechanisms. So, in this part the State Party provides information on the extent to which it has implemented these measures, including factors and difficulties encountered and progress achieved in implementing the relevant provisions of the Children's Charter. Education, including vocational training activities (Article 11) 167. In its efforts to effectively and meaningfully invest in education, the State Party has been conducting vocational training and life skills mentoring to children who transitioning to youths. The vocational education and training system in Tanzania focuses on providing skills to the labour force in order to enable it to enter, re-enter skills training retrain with a view of acquiring and maintaining decent employment and employability. 168. Vocational Educational and Training Authority (VETA) which mandated to provide and regulate vocational education in the Mainland developed a Corporate Plan IV 2012/13-2016/17. The Plan incorporates national development priorities as stipulated in the national Five Years Development Plan (FYDP I). A Skills Enhancement Programme (SEP) was developed to support employees in the companies contributing in the skills development fund (SDL). The arrangement requires training costs to be shared equally between employers and VETA. The main purpose is to improve productivity be updating and upgrading skills to address changing technologies and needs in work places. Recognition of Prior Learning: Under this programme, assessment and certifying skills and knowledge of people gained through non formal system. Re-introduction of Apprenticeship Training: VETA has also collaborated with the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce from Germany on providing apprenticeship training. This programme is currently in the final stage of piloting. 169. In particular, the State Party has realized the following outputs during the period under report: (a) VET centres were increased from 672 in 2009 to 759 in 2013, an increase of 13% (b) Number of VETA owned Centres increased from 21 in 2009 to 28 in 2014. (c) The enrollment of VET trainees increased from 104,840 in 2009 to 159,345 by 2013,an increase of 52% (d) A total number of 1,650 employees trained under Skills Enhancement Programme from the year 2012 to 2014. See Appendix 2 & 3. (e) A total of 3,481 informal sector operators were trained (1,986 Male and 1,495 female) (f) Construction of Songea VTC classrooms and Dodoma RVTSC girl’s dormitory. Finalize construction and opening of Manyara, Lindi, Pwani, Kipawa ICT, Makete DVTC and VHTTI, (g) During this period also the following Vocational centres were renovated to meet Labour Market requirements, Tabora, Singida, Ulyankulu, Mpanda, Singida and Shinyanga. (h) Initial preparation for construction of four (4) new RVTSCs for Geita, Simiyu, Njombe and Rukwa, (i) Construction/rehabilitation of four District Vocational Training Centres (DVTCs) for Ludewa, Namtumbo, Karagwe and Korogwe in progress. (j) Training in Oil and Gas value chain: VETA in collaboration with VSO and British Gas are implementing a project known as Enhancement Employability for Vocational Training with collaboration of VSO and British Gas for Mtwara and Lindi Regional Vocational Training Centres. Under this programme, 34 vocational teachers had been trained by experts from VSO and City and Guilds of UK. Also, 280 VET graduates were also trained in various skills for employment and selfemployment in the oil and gas value chain. 170. The State Party has adopted the new Education and Training Policy in 2014, which provides for tuition free Basic Education. As regard to this Policy, all children from 3-5 are eligible for pre - school education and must registered freely and thereafter for primary education also for free. It has abolished all 47