Katandala Vocational Training Center (VTC)
The Katandala Vocational Training Center has been an important part of the Sumbawanga community since 1983.
It operates as an accredited secondary school under the Tanzanian Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, & Vocational Training, but was originally built, and continues to be supported by, the Diocese of Sumbawanga. Katandala VTC is a vibrant institution that creates opportunities for young men and women in the Rukwa region. Students are encouraged to learn a trade and improve their standing in the community. The current student population is 150 boys and 30 girls; some from the local community, but many boarders who travel into Katandala and are housed in on-site dormitories. In the most recent academic year (2020), the school graduated 62 students, all of whom passed their National examinations.
Like many schools in the Tanzanian system Katandala has dedicated teachers and a robust curriculum, but suffers from a lack of enrichment materials, vocational training tools, and some deteriorated infra-structure. The Rukwa Foundation’s goals at Katandala are driven by a desire to improve the core infra-structure and to provide materials and equipment to further their educational excellence. To date The Rukwa Foundation has rebuilt the schools dining hall, updated the school’s kitchen equipment, and restocked the school’s small collection of hand-tools in the automotive section.
