Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.14, No.31, 2023 1 Going for Diversified Curriculum (Education) for Industrialization and Employment in Tanzania Universities Bryson D. Kinyaduka Mzumbe University Abstract Though diversified curriculum evaluation results are more or less disappointing, the paper provides justification for continuing to embrace it. From justifications provided in this paper, we still hold that it will culminate in industrialisation and employment. The paper provides five reasons to continue embracing diversified curriculum in education systems, specifically in Tanzania. The proposed diversified curriculum comprises professional specific competencies, embedded skills (extra-skills), and industrial 4.0 capabilities. These are key areas to concentrate to produce graduates who will not only act as seeds for industrialization, but also who can create employment in Tanzania. Through diversified curriculum, we intend to create graduates who are bold enough to face future uncertainties, which include the looming problem of unemployment in Tanzania. A number of models are proposed to adopt in implementing the diversified curriculum in higher learning institutions. However, one implementation model is assumed to be the most appropriate given the current context in higher learning institutions, namely optional extended model. To implement the curriculum innovation successfully, we propose one additional training year in undergraduate degree programmes. Importantly, the paper forecasts possible challenges and solutions ahead of establishment and implementation of the curriculum innovation. Keywords: diversified curriculum, industrialization, employment, embedded skills, industrial 4.0 capabilities DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-31-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2023 1. Background information In Tanzania 2025 vision, as a nation, we would like to create a semi-industrialised country (URT, 1999). Moreover, in recent years, there have been complaints on dwindling formal sector employment in Tanzania. Nevertheless, most of the education and training offered in our higher learning institutions do not comprise specific skills for organic emergence of industrialization. As it is, concentration seems to be on making a graduate get employed in the formal sector. This means that the flavour of running undergraduate degree programmes is not inclined toward industrialisation and self-employment. In the light of the above orientation, no wonder it contributes to graduates reluctance to employ themselves through the informal sector. While some of the programmes offered can make one employ one-self, such as Bachelor in Laws (LLB), Education programmes, Business programmes to mention, but a few. Yet, the influx of graduates from universities to labour market each year is nagging. This makes opportunities for formal employment and self-employment through professional degrees keep shrinking year after year. Furthermore, it makes a university degree sound like it is of no use for some graduates. It is from this juncture we think that we need to introduce diversified curriculum to our degree programmes to have embedded vocational skills. Diversified curriculum refers to offering education or training with wider future job options, education with practical (vocational subjects) and academic orientation (Psacharopoulos, 1985; Offorma, 2010). In relation to diversified curriculum in Universities, embedding vocational skills in the exiting traditional degree programmes offered in higher education, it amounts to diversification of curriculum. In so doing, we open chances for organic industrialization in the country and for self-employment on the part of university graduates. Self-employment is especially important because formal employment opportunities have been increasingly declining while the number of graduates from higher learning institutions has been exponentially increasing. As hinted earlier, graduates from the present curricula do not possess technical education or vocational skills. Since the graduates, do not have vocational skills; it is difficulty for a country to industrialise, and for a graduate to get self-employed. Indeed, we are aware that self-employment is not solely dependent on the acquisition of vocational skills or creative minds, but is dependent up on multiple forces (Kinyaduka, 2020). Therefore, the proposed curriculum intends to enhance the possession of profession specific competencies and the vocational skills to promote industrialisation initiatives and self-employment orientation among University graduates. This is going to be enhanced through the introduction of embedded skills and the change of student mindset in training cycle. Vocation skills have been earmarked as important for self-employment (Kinyaduka, 2012, Kinyaduka, 2014, Kilasa, Kinyaduka & Kalimasi, in Press). Importantly, the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) in its constitution of 1977 as amended in 2005 emphasizes academic and vocational education at all levels of education (URT, 2005). This implies that the quest of diversified curriculum is not a matter of choice, but it is mandatory at all levels of education in Tanzania.