Tanzania now cleared to offer global aviation security training

Dar es Salaam. Unlike the past, Tanzania Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) could smoothly now be able to attract trainees from across the globe, thanks to accreditation by the global aviation body.

With the accreditation which was issued here yesterday after the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) was satisfied with its four-month evaluation, Tanzania has now attained a status to offer aviation security training at the international level.

Unlike previously when the Training Centre had to seek single recognition from ICAO to train people from other countries, now it will not need to do so since it has already received the global recognition.

The ICAO regional aviation security and facilitation officer Justus Nyunja yesterday handed the ICAO flag to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) director general, Mr Hamza Johari, as a sign of an approval for the training.

Mr Johari said with the accreditation which followed ICAO’s satisfaction with its four-month evaluation, makes Tanzania to be among the six countries with approval to offer aviation security training in the Eastern Southern Africa (ESAF) and Western and Central Africa (WACAF).

The other five aviation training centres are Nairobi – Kenya, Dakar - Senegal, Douala -Cameroon, Johannesburg – South Africa and Lagos – Nigeria.

Globally, 35 training centres have the same approval from ICAO.

“I am happy that our Civil Aviation Training Center was evaluated by ICAO and passed the evaluation to become an associate member of the ICAO aviation security training center (ASTC) network,” said the TCAA boss.

The evaluation process that saw CATC pass, started in April and came to an end in July.

Aviation expert with about 47 years of experience John Njawa said criteria that were being considered to offer the global reach for the Training Centre include the need for having people for composing training calculum that met international standards.

Other criteria include, having in place a mechanism of making regular improvement of training curriculum to meet the global demand, as well as trainer of trainees’ capability.

Mr Njawa, the TCAA’s ex-safety regulation director commended CATC, saying its international acceptance would add value to the aviation sector.

“This gives us a global reach,” said Mr Njawa.

Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa) executive secretary Lathifa Sykes told The Citizen that the CATC’s global acceptance would save costs of sending Tanzanians abroad.

“This is a great milestone because we don’t need to send our people out for training,” said Ms Sykes in hope that the costs for training will dwindle.

Current CATC’s course lists are Aviation security, Air traffic management, Communication, navigation and surveillance, Aeronautical information management, Airport operations and Train the trainer.

Other courses offered by the centre include drone pilot training, safety management system, quality management system, flight operation officers/flight operation dispatchers, dangerous goods regulations, customer service, aerodrome planning operation and maintenance as well as heliports design and construction.

ASTC is there to provide training support to regional, sub-regional and national security training efforts by overseeing the development of appropriate training packages and providing support to ICAO endorsed training centres in the development and delivery of training programmes.

Its main objective is to support ICAO contracting states in resolving significant security deficiencies identified through the ICAO Aviation Security Audit Programme (USAP).

This support enables states to meet their aviation security obligations through the promotion of partnerships and coordination of assistance between states, industry, international financial institutions and various other stakeholders.

He said with a number of instructors that the training centre has, Tanzania was ready to do justice to the international status received from the ICAO.

TCAA's Johari said Tanzania had 21 Certified National Aviation Security Instructors.

The icing on the cake, he added, the East African nation had nine ICAO Aviation Security Certified Instructors, all of which are Tanzanians.