Foundation hands over hotel institute to AMC

by Ingrid Mboya of SAUT

The Arusha Hotel Training Institute supported by Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany will be handed over to Arusha Municipal Council (AMC) on the 23^rd of this month, according to the Institute’s Principal, Ms Flora Hakika.

The institute, established in 1993 under the auspices of the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), is a brainchild of Arusha’s former Member of Parliament Abdulrahman Kinana, now speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly.

He coordinated efforts to assist the youths and providing them with skills which would assure them employment especially in the tourism industry, Arusha being the hub of tourism in Tanzania. Hanns Seidel Foundation based in Munich funded the project. The institute was thus able to acquire modern facilities putting it in top notch position compared to others providing hotel training in the country.

"We are proud of the latest facilities in the industry and we are constantly updating our equipment so that our students can benefit from modern technology made available to us." Ms. Hakika said.

The Institute offers two-year courses in Food Production, Front Office Operation, Food and Beverage Service and Bakery and Pastry production.

The courses emphasize the institute’s vision to train students to highest standards aiming at obtaining best positions in the tourism industry.

Ms. Hakika said that the project has to be handed over to the Municipal Council because this is the right time to do so.

"A project can’t go on forever, 10 years is quite a long time for a foreign organization to run a project. The Hanns Seidel Foundation in Munich has seen this as the right time for the other partner, Arusha Municipal Council to take responsibility," she said.

The institute has registered success in all fronts since it was established and most of the graduates have been employed in high standard hotels all over the country and even outside Tanzania. Others have managed to open their own businesses.

The institute is among the 19 members of the association of hotels and schools of Sub Saharan Africa. 

Last modified: August 22, 2003.
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