THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

PRESIDENT`S OFFICE

PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGEMENT

TANZANIA PUBLIC SERVICE COLLEGE

TANGA CAMPUS

A FIELD ATTACHMENT REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF SECRETARIAL STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT
FOR THE AWARD OF TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE IN SECRETARIAL
STUDIES (DSS)

FIELD TRAINING ATTACHMENT CONDUCTED AT REGISTRATION

INSOLVENCY AND TRUSTEESHIP AGENCY (RITA) OFFICE-TANGA
DISTRICT COMMISSIONER OFFICE

12th July 2024 to 15th September 2024

Conducted
By

CATHERINE BERNAD
DSS.03/24/TNG.826

November, 2024
 DECLARATION
I, Catherine Bernad declare that this field report which I submit to Tanzania
Public Service College, Tanga Campus in consideration of the award
Technician Certificate in Secretarial Studies (DSS) is my own personal effort.
Where any of the content presented is the report input. Furthermore, I took
reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and, to the best of my
knowledge, does not breach copyright law, and has not been taken from
other sources except where such work has been cited and acknowledged
within the text.

:__________________

Signature;

Madam Catherine _____________

(Field Supervisor) Signature

Submission Date; _______________

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
TCSS Technician Certificate in Secretarial Studies

ICT Information and Communication Technology

RITA Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency

TPSC Tanzania Public Service College

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATION: MAP OF TANGA

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I am grateful to Almighty God who gave me this chance
to study in this college. I am thankful for life, wisdom and intelligence, which
made me to successfully undertake and accomplish this report.

It is a great pleasure for me to acknowledge the assistance and contributions

of many individuals in making this dissertation a success.

Secondly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Mr. John Julius for his
assistance, ideas, and feedbacks during the process in doing this field report.
Without his guidance and support, this field training attachment would not
be completed successfully.

Thirdly, it is a pleasure to express my thanks to all Registration Insolvency

and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) staffs for sparing their time to in assisting me
in various tasks during my field training attachment. I deeply appreciate their
helpfulness and willingness in providing the useful assistance during my field
training attachment.

Lastly, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to my family for their

encouragement and moral support.

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) is located in the
outskirt of Tanga city. During my field training in this agency, I was assigned
in various duties AS Office Secretary.

This field report consists of six chapters, Chapter one consists of historical
background of RITA, while chapter two consist of vision and mission
statement of the organization.

Chapter three consist of objectives and function of the study, while chapter
four consist of actual work done during the field training attachment and the
department which I regale with during the attachment, the last part of this
chapter of consist the professional experience and skills acquired during the
field training.

Chapter five consists of problems, challenges encountered during the

training and the suggestions that can be used to curb the problems and
challenges. The last chapter consists of conclusion and recommendation, the
recommendations to TPSC and RITA is thoroughly explained in this chapter.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION..................................................................................................ii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................................iii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATION: MAP OF ARUSHA........................................................iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.......................................................................................v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS.....................................................................................vii
CHAPTER ONE..................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGOUND OF RITA.................................3
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................3
1.2 Historical Background.............................................................................3
CHAPTER TWO.................................................................................................5
VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT OF THE RITA..............................................5
2.1 Vision......................................................................................................5
2.2 Mission..................................................................................................5
CHAPTER THREE..............................................................................................6
OBJECTIVE /FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATION CHART OF RITA........................6
3.1 Objectives of RITA...................................................................................6
3.2 ORGANIZATION CHART OF ARUSHA CITY COUNCI..................................7
L....................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER FOUR................................................................................................8
ACTUAL WORK DONE/ TRAINING DONE...........................................................8
4.1 DEPARTMENT..........................................................................................8
4.1.1 RITA Department..............................................................................8
4.2 DUTIES UNDERTAKEN.............................................................................8
4.2.1 Incoming and outgoing mail management:......................................8
4.2.2 Listen to clients problems and solve them.......................................9
4.2.3 Sorting and arranging files................................................................9
4.2.4 Delivery and take files to different offices......................................10
4.3 PROFFESIONAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS AQUIRED..............................10
4.3.1 Working to a deadline.....................................................................10
4.3.2 Self-reliance and self esteem..........................................................10
4.3.3 Time management..........................................................................10

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 4.3.4 Communicating skills......................................................................10
4.3.5 Learning from mistakes..................................................................10
4.3.5 Relationship with other staff...........................................................11
CHAPTER FIVE................................................................................................12
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTED AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.......12
5.1 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED...................................................................12
5.1.1 Dealing with difficult personalities..................................................12
5.1.2 Being blamed for everything that goes wrong................................12
5.1.3 Time management..........................................................................12
5.1.4 Unsystematic arrangement of files.................................................13
5.1.5 Insufficiency Records Management Personnel’s.............................13
5.1.6 Unauthorized access of records......................................................13
5.2 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED...............................................................13
5.2.1 Reluctance behaviour.....................................................................13
5.2.2 Poor records storage facilities.........................................................13
5.2.3 Unethical and unprofessional behavior...........................................14
5.3 POSSIBLE SOLUTION.............................................................................14
5.3.1 Provision of modern and “state of the art” ICT equipment’s..........14
5.3.2 Fostering working environment......................................................14
5.3.3 Hiring skilled records management personnel................................14
5.3.4 Imposing Serious Disciplines Measures..........................................14
CHAPTER SIX..................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.........................................................15
6.1 Conclusions...........................................................................................15
6.2 Recommendation..................................................................................15
6.2.1 To Recommendation to RITA...........................................................15
6.2 .2 To Recommendations to Tanzania Public Service College (TPSC),
Tanga Campus.........................................................................................15
REFERENCES..................................................................................................17

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGOUND OF RITA

1.1 Introduction

The Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) aims at effective

and efficient management of information on key life events, incorporation of
trustees, safeguarding properties under trust, of deceased persons,
insolvents, and minors to enable the law to take its course.

1.2 Historical Background

RITA was officially launched on the 23rd June 2006 and replaces what was
known as the Administrator Generals Department in the Attorney Generals
Chambers, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. It is an Executive
Agency under the Attorney Generals Chambers in the Ministry of Justice and
Constitutional Affairs.

The history of RITA dates back in 1917 when the German Colonial power
enacted a law for registration of births and deaths (Proclamation No.15 of
1917 (Civil Area). When the British took over the administration of
Tanganyika (Tanzania Mainland) from the Germans retained the Register of
births and deaths established under the Germans law by saving it under the
Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1920 (Cap.108)

It should be noted that under both colonial powers registration of births and
deaths was not compulsory for Africans.

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 CHAPTER TWO

VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT OF THE REGISTRATION

INSOLVENCY AND TRUSTEESHIP AGENCY (RITA)

2.1 Vision
“RITA's vision is to become the most efficient and effective Registration, Insolvency and
Trusteeship service provider.”

2.2 Mission
“RITA's mission is to ensure justice through provision of effective and efficient management
of information on key life events, Insolvency and Trusteeship services so as to contribute to
the National development”

CHAPTER THREE

OBJECTIVE /FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATION CHART OF RITA

3.1 Objectives of RITA

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 Aims at effective and efficient management of information on key life
events, Incorporation of trustees,
 Safeguarding properties under trust, of deceased persons, insolvents,
minors to enable the law to take its course.

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3.2 ORGANIZATION CHART OF REGISTRATION INSOLVENCY AND
TRUSTEESHIP AGENCY (RITA)

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 CHAPTER FOUR

ACTUAL WORK DONE/ TRAINING DONE

4.1 DEPARTMENT

4.1.1 RITA Department

The Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) department is
responsible in effective and efficient management of information on key life
events, incorporation of trustees, safeguarding properties under trust, of
deceased persons, insolvents, and minors to enable the law to take its
course. A secretary is an administrative professional who plays an integral
role in business and other organizational environments. Secretaries are
typically the individuals who maintain and organize office tasks, implement
procedures and carry out additional administrative duties, depending on the
nature of their employment. The following are some of the duties I was
assigned to as an office secretary: -

4.2 DUTIES UNDERTAKEN

4.2.1 Registering Birth & Death

As an office secretary in this department i was also assigned to register birth
and death through sn online portal available in the office, most of the clients
were required to provides the information and these information were filled
in special online form. After few days the death and birth certficate were
issued to the clients, usual this service used o take a month but since the
organzation has establishged the online portal the service were provided for
few days and the clients wre satisified with the services.

4.2.2 Listen to clients problems and solve them

During my field training attachment at RITA, I as responsible in ensuring
clients problems are listened, attended and solved through various problem
mitigation techniques and procedures. Since office secretary is one of the
organization’s most important assets. Office Secretary is a gatekeeper, but
he is also charged with giving the client their first taste of the office culture.
By projecting a professional, capable demeanor, Office Secretary implies that
clients experience with the business as a whole will follow suit. As Office
Secretary I was responsible in listen to clients problems and solve them,
albeit one person cannot always be all things to all people. Therefore, as
Office Secretary i was responsible in ensuring the clients problem and
grievances are well attended, by listeining to the clients earnesty and with
careness to ensure the clients problems is received and hanlded throuh a
proepr channel. Most of the problems were solved by myself and i took a

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courtesy of consulting my supervisor for further assistance is the cleint
problem were persisted.

4.2.3 Sorting and arranging files.

During my field training attachment in this department, I was responsible in
sorting and arranging files within the registry department. I sorted the mails
which means grouping of files on definite order. The letters were grouped
either on the basis of their nature or destination or contents. Sorting of files
were done before opening of files or after opening of files. When it is
undertaken before opening, private and confidential files were separated
from the ordinary files and these files were stored for further use within the
department.

4.2.4 Delivery and take files to different offices

As an Office Secretary within the RITA i was responsible in ensring all files
are well distributed in various department within the department . I this
department there are various deartment and each of these department
regaled in various assignments and tasks, durig my field training in this
department i was respnsible in ensuroing all thewse department files were
delviered and distribued to the respnsioble individuals within the
department. These files were distributed to these action offcier since no
other person was elegible to deliver the files due to thecdepartment
regulations since some of these files cotain sensitive and confidnial records
and iunformation records that should not be disclosed to other unauthorized
indivudual within the department.

4.2.5. Answering and directing phone calls

Secretaries may be responsible for answering office phone lines and
directing each call to the appropriate individual. Oftentimes, secretaries are
the individuals that handle solicitation calls, client calls and taking messages.
For instance, a legal secretary may regularly take calls from clients regarding
casework or other information, and they need to be able to direct each client
call to the appropriate attorney, as well as taking and distributing other
messages and correspondences. A secretary may also need to have
expertise in differentiating between urgent and less important
communication.

4.2.6 Greeting business clients and guests

Secretaries may also take on receptionist duties in addition to their
administrative responsibilities. For example, an executive assistant may act
as a receptionist to greet clients who arrive for conferences or meetings and
might be the individual who helps visitors get settled, brings refreshments,
takes notes during meetings with clients, and generally works to maintain

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the professionalism and overall brand image of their departments and
organization when greeting and directing visitors.

4.3 PROFFESIONAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS AQUIRED

4.3.1 Working to a deadline

As I am writing this field report, I got acquainted on working to a deadline.
Most students we are used to working to deadlines of some description, but
the turnaround in the workplace is often much tighter. Prioritization and
minimizing fifing are key points that I’ve found useful when trying to
complete tasks by lunchtime, or by the end of the day. This is a really
important skill to have in any work place, or even at college.

4.3.2 Relationship with other staff

Relationship in work pavce is an essential tool in ensuring the works are
done efficiently within any organzation. During my field training attachment
in this department i had conducive relationship with other staffs within the
department. Throuh my interactio with other staffs within the deaprtment i
had an opportunity to learn various skills and gains various knowledges on
how tasks are performed and this helped me to be acquaited with various
loans procedures within the department. Mos to fht staffs working in this
department were politely, listern and most of them were easily access when i
needed then in various occasionaly during my field training attachment.

4.3.2 Self-reliance and self esteem

My field training attachment helps enhance my self-reliance skills since I
was exposed to the working environment and interaction within various
professional tasks unlikely in college where I used to work under supervision
of my facilitators.

4.3.3 Time management

During my field training attachment at this organization I learned how to
work in time frame and without wasting moist of working time in
unnecessary issues like gossiping in the office. This helps to schedule my
working hours ad complete my assigned tasks in time.

4.3.4 Communicating skills

Communication skills are essential skills in every service delivery institution
like organization s. During my field training attachment at this organization I
learned how to communicate with staffs’ and other staffs using politely
language and responds to their queries in time without showing any sign of
reluctance or arrogance during the services delivery process.

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4.3.5 Learning from mistakes
During my field training attachment in this organization I learned how to
accept my mistakes and rectify them. This helps me to be humble and ask
for helps to my supervisors and this enhance my working performance within
the office and also fostering working coherence with other staffs within the
office.

4.3.5 Relationship with other staff

Relationship in work pavce is an essential tool in ensuring the works are
done efficiently within any organzation. During my field training attachment
in this department i had conducive relationship with other staffs within the
department and other department within the department . Throuh my
interactio with other staffs within the department i had an opportunity to
learn various skills and gains various knowledges on how records and
information were managed within the department and this helped me to be
acquaited with various records and infomation management techniques and
procedures within the department . Mos to fht staffs working in this
departmentwere politely, listern and most of them were easily access when i
needed then in various occasionaly during my field training attachment.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTED AND POSSIBLE

SOLUTIONS

5.1 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

5.1.1 Dealing with difficult personalities

During my field training attachment in administration department at RITA, I
found that one of the challenges that the Records and Information
Management Assistant faces when conducting their daily duties is dealing
with difficult personalities. I found out that Secretaries are the first person to
whom managers, employees, suppliers, customers, board members and
visitors are most likely to come when they require something for their job. In
general, these people will be pleasant. Unfortunately, in some cases,
Records and Information Management Assistant will have to work with
people who are more difficult to deal with. These people may consider you to
be less important than other employees or they may see you as a person on
whom they can unleash their compressed anger.

5.1.2 Being blamed for everything that goes wrong

During my field training attachment in administration department at RITA

also i discovered that one of the challenges that the RMA faces when
conducting their daily duties is being blamed for everything that goes wrong.
I found that RMA may not be the decision-makers but when things go wrong,
all fingers mostly point to them. Not necessarily being the source of the
problem it is though their responsibility to solve the problem or challenge. To
avoid being accused or blamed, the secretary should keep detailed records
of their working day. Write everything down and create a systematic
documentation which covers their work schedule from start to finish, just in
case issues might arise unexpectedly.

5.1.3 Time management

If RMA support more than one executive, managing the workload might be
one of the biggest challenges. During my field training attachment at this
organization i also found and observed that one of the challenges faces
secretary in the organization is time management. I also found that RMA are
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responsible for coordinating meetings, making appointments, arranging
travel and scheduling other activities. Scheduling conflicting priorities among
executives and last-minute changes make a good time management and
other organizational skills essential for a good secretary. RMA are often
expected to be available 24/7 as most of the management executives are
working long days. The latter often leads to a struggle with the work-life-
balance of many secretaries. Knowing when to draw the line is half the
battle; some employees can make a situation sound more urgent than it
really is. RMA should learn to assess the situation and make decisions
accordingly.

5.1.4 Unsystematic arrangement of files

As records management personnel in this department at RITA I found out
that most of the files within the department were not well arranged and
some of these files were not arranged in systematic format and this leads to
the difficult in access most of these files and sometimes resulting in loss of
these files or misplacement of these files in the office.

5.1.5 Insufficiency Records Management Personnel’s

RITA has low number of staffs and this leads to the pending of most of the
RITA duties, most of staffs are engaging in multiple assignments and this
cause the fatigue in staffs and results in poor working performance in most
of the staffs working within the RITA. This leads to most of the tasks within
the RITA to be delayed and most of the staffs are no working effectively due
to the incompetence demeanor among towards their assigned tasks.

5.1.6 Unauthorized access of records

Records stored within organization should be well protected and preserved
within the department since they hold essential value and they are the heart
of the organization. During my field training attachment in this department, I
found that the department encountered with various setbacks since some of
the unauthorized personnel access the records and this leads to some of the
records which are not supposed to be accessed by other personnel in the
authority to be leaked.

5.2 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

5.2.1 Reluctance behaviour

Some of the staffs in the department were reluctant especial when they are
asked to contributes in certain assigned tasks and they tend to perform
some of their assigned tasks slowly and sluggishly. This leads to poor
working performance within the department.
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5.2.2 Poor office equipment’s and records storage facilities
One of the challenges that I found faces the RITA is poor records storage
facilities which leads to most of the records to be lost in the office since most
of these records are not well stored and most of the files are not well
contained within these storage devices or facilities.

5.2.3 Unethical and unprofessional behavior

During my filed training within the RITA, I found that some of the staffs within
the organization are engaging in an ethical behaviour and some are not
abiding with rules and regulation that are required to be uphold by public
servant and this leads to poor performance in the office.

5.3 POSSIBLE SOLUTION

5.3.1 Provision of modern and “state of the art” ICT equipment’s

The RITA should ensure state of the art and modern ICT equipment are ell
distributed within the organization, this might reduce the problem of sharing
the same computers or scanner for various assigned tasks and also reduce
the time which most of the records stay pending and waits to be scanned or
printed or typed in the department.

5.3.2 Fostering working environment

The RITA should ensure the working environment and office setting is well
improved within the organization and this might enhance the work place
environment and makes the staffs in the registry department works in
conducive environment.

5.3.3 Hiring skilled records management personnel

The RITA should hire competent records management staffs that will be
able to works in accordance with the requirements and regulations in
handling records within the registry. These skilled personnel should be
equipped with well records management facilities so that they can be able to
perform their duties in professional manners and effectively to attain the
RITA objectives and achievements

5.3.4 Imposing Serious Disciplines Measures

The RITA should impose a serious disciplines and guidelines that all workers
should follow so that the disciplines within the department can be enhanced
and this might enhance the working performance within the department and
hence fostering the working efficiency of most of the registry staffs. The
disciplines measure might ensure the staffs who are reluctant and who not
abiding to the works ethics are well discipline and this might enhance the
working performance of these staffs in department.

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 CHAPTER SIX

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

6.1 Conclusions

During one semester training period, a lot of experience, knowledge and

exposure that I have handy. All disclosures were awakening me in a boost of
self-confidence to face life more challenging now. Practical is a complement
to the science or theory learned. This is clearly the concept of science and
charity, where they have learned without practice will be lost and will not
give anything - what effect. So if we do without the knowledge of course
there will be problems in terms of grip and stance ever - changing.

During my field training, there are many changes from the point of learning
environments and discussion among colleagues. It can directly increase the
dedication and rational attitude toward myself.

However, there are still some weaknesses that can be improved in the
future. Therefore, I conclude that the field training program has provided
many benefits to students even if there are minor flaws that are somewhat
disfiguring condition, so that this weakness can be rectified in the future.

I can conclude that this field training is through training I received a lot of
exposure in the professional world. I would like to thank also the Tanzania
Public Service (TPSC) management for giving students - students find their
own experience with having field training attachment like this.

6.2 Recommendation

6.2.1 To Recommendation to RITA

 More opportunities to students to do field training attachment in

Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga; The students would also
recommend the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga to continue
giving field training attachment to as many students as they can
because some miss this experience which is also important
requirement of the University due to the fact that they failed to get
field training attachment.

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  Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga should give allowances to
interns most especially transport allowances to cater for transport cost
most students stay far from field training attachment hence increasing
my expenses. Therefore the students recommends the Tanzania
Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga to put that in to action in order to
motivate interns and boost their productivity levels in performing their
tasks during the field attachment.

 Serious supervision to the workers and students, the organization

should increase and ensure more supervision over the employees in
order to work effectively and also eliminate workers who relax, work
lazily and perform actively after seeing their supervisors.

 The management of Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga should

also carry out job enlargement and enrichment such that it mitigate
the conflict amongst employees for roles and tasks .This will ensure
good industrial relations between the supervisors and subordinates at
the organization

 The management of Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Igunga should

buy more facilities such as computers, vehicles so as to enable smooth
running of the organization’s activities and respond to the dynamic
competition environment. This technological advancement will enable
the organization to change from manual to computerized methods of
processing documents and proper record keeping.

6.2 .2 To Recommendations to Tanzania Public Service College

(TPSC), Tanga Campus
i. Supervision must be done by qualified academic staff i.e. tutor/lecturer
and above. Schedules of the academic supervisors must be
communicated to the partners and or field supervisors in advance. The
supervision reports must be written on the spot and copies given to the
student and the field attachment coordinator. The Institute (TPSC) shall
develop penalties for academic supervisors whose performance in the
field will be found to be wanting or in breach of professional conduct.

ii. The Tanzania Public Service (TPSC) management should brief of the
students; before the placement, students should be briefed a month
before they do the end of Semester examination, so that they can
appreciate field attachment as an integral part of their training
programs
iii. The Tanzania Public Service (TPSC) management should stay in touch
with the organization or firm to keep up with current students who are
undergoing industrial training. With this, we can forge a closer

22
 relationship between the Tanzania Public Service (TPSC) management
and organizations. The Organization easier to take students from the
Tanzania Public Service (TPSC) management to undergo field training
in place.
iv. Secure field training attachment for students. The Tanzania Public
Service (TPSC) management should help students to secure field
training attachments according to their respective programs
undertaken at the University through giving students
recommendations in order to ease their training periods and also avoid
the ache gotten by students in search of field training attachment
v. In addition, the organization should be focused on the problems of
students undergoing Field Training sessions. As the students are still
new in the pre-employment, the guidance and observation of the firm
needed. If this cannot be done, then the students assume the
management of the firm is not concerned about the work they have
done. Each student should be advised by a supervisor. Supervisors are
responsible for helping students to undergo industrial training to show
guidance as guidance to students who undergo field training during 6
months.

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 REFERENCES
John Robert Gregg, Rupert Pitt So Relle (2015); Secretarial Studies - Scholar's Choice
Edition; Scholar's Choice Publishing; https://books.google.co.tz>accessed
at 10th September 2024

Dr. R.C. Bhatia (2005); Principles of Office Management; Lotus Press Publishing; Scholar's
Choice Publishing; https://books.google.co.tz>accessed at 10th
September 2024

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