The Socio-Economic Impact of Skilled People Out-migration in Pemba Figure 1 : Conceptual Framework of Out-Migration of Skilled People from Pemba

The main objective of the study was to investigate the socio-economic impacts of out-migration of skilled people in Pemba. It further examined the root courses of out-migration of skilled people, the socio-economic impacts and the intervening measures of this type of out-migration. The study was conducted in Pemba Island because for a long time it experienced the exodus of large numbers of skilled people, particularly to Zanzibar town, Tanzania Mainland and abroad where they have settled as Diaspora. The sample for the study was randomly selected, whereby 250 respondents from various shehias and 35 respondents from Chake-Chake town were selected from the place of origin. Further, the study sampled 80 respondents from Zanzibar town and Dar es Salaam city as areas of destination. The out-migration of skilled people in Pemba Island is caused by a big shortage of employment opportunities for skilled labour and other underlying courses such as chronic poverty, poor wages and low living standards, poor social services, lack of investment opportunities and infrastructure. This problem of skilled people out-migration in the Island has resulted into positive and negative socioeconomic consequences, which include lack of skilled people and low investment opportunities compared to the area of destination. The positive impacts include the increase in educational awareness and submission of remittances to relatives remaining in the Island. The study recommends that immediate steps be taken to improve the infrastructure and social welfare of skilled people in the Island and create good investment conditions so as to minimize the exodus of skilled people. Introduction Many skilled people move out of Pemba Island in order to change their livelihoods by engaging in business and formal employments. They also hunt for better educational opportunities within Tanzania and abroad, which will later enable them to get better occupations. Other factors that influence outmigration include political instabilities, extreme poverty, and the lack of better employment opportunities (Caldwell, 1966; 1969; Zahor, 2009; Adefunska, 2010). As a whole this problem of outmigration of skilled labour 1 Centre for Population Studies and Research 2 Geography Department: mmbonile@udsm.ac. tz Impacts 1. Increase income & education 2. Improve social/living standard etc. . 1. Deteriorate social services & production 2 . Loss of manpower & poverty increase, etc. 3. Poor investment, etc. Urban Adjustment Mechanism Urban Subsystems 1. Better Employment 2. Higher investments 4. Industrial growth 3. Better life etc. Migration Channel Rural Subsystems 1. Poor investment 2. Poor Social Services 3. Chronic Poverty 4. Poor Employment etc Rural Adjustment Mechanism Skilled People Out-Migration Khamis Yahya & Milline J. Mbonile is not confined to Pemba Island alone, since in terms of labour market migration is a symptom of imbalances between poor and developed areas such as high rates of unemployment and underemployment among skilled workers, low wages for skilled workers, and unmet demand for education and acquisition of skills. Generally, the major root causes are socio-economic, political and environmental (Holm, 1998; Adepoju, 2004; Salehe, 2012). As a whole at the continental level, Africa is the most affected continent by the out-migration of skilled people in a process called brain drain, whereby highly skilled people move to the developed nations and those who remain in their countries tend to live in the cities and more developed areas by leaving rural and poorly developed areas where they are needed most with no professionals (UNESCO, 2004; Adepoju, 2004; Johnson, 2009). In Tanzania, skilled labour migrates from one region to another, especially from rural areas to urban areas such Dar es Salaam, which as a primate city pulls migrants from all other regions because of its strong industrial and commercial base in the country. The same power is exerted by Zanzibar town, which pulls migrants from other regions in the Island. Meanwhile at international level, Zanzibar experience out-migration of skilled labour to Tanzania Mainland and the Middle East, which leaves the Island with little highly skilled manpower, especially graduates of various fields (Lee, 1966; Lugalla, 1995; Nunn, 2005; Zahor, 2009). Theoretical Framework The study examined the socio-economic impacts of out-migration of skilled people in Pemba Island. This study is essential for it exposes the challenges resulting from the ‘local brain drain’, and addresses some of the millennium goals on poverty reductions and other development strategies such as those introduced by TASAF on capacity building of local residents. As a whole, the conceptual framework in Fig. 1 indicates that migration is a process that involves different systems, which have control mechanisms that encourage or discourage migration between the areas of origin and destination. Usually the areas of origin experience negative factors such as poor employment opportunities for skilled labour, lack of higher education facilities, political instabilities and poverty that push skilled people out of a place such as Pemba Island. At the area of destination, some skilled people adopt strategies such as the establishment of petty trade that generates the flow of people, goods, services, and information, which further promotes outmigration of skilled people (Mbonile, 1993; Ratha, 2008). Moreover, skilled migrants establish close links with their relatives through remittances, marriages, visitations and communications, coupled with associations and trust funds that boost their home areas economically. They also open up shops and other economic assets at their place of origin, and leave those remaining at home to run them (Zahor, 2009; Salehe, 2012).