Dar es Salaam has five districts as Ubungo, Kigamboni added to it

HILDA MHAGAMA

THE government has officially announced through Government Notices (GN) the establishment of two new districts in Dar es Salaam, bringing the number of districts in the region to five.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Saidi Meck Sadiki, noted in Dar es Salaam on Thursday that the notices which were signed by President John Magufuli, names the new districts as Ubungo and Kigamboni.

“We proposed formation of new districts in 2014 with the aim to improve social services; we believe it will now be easier to carry out administrative activities. The Kigamboni District will also be divided into two constituencies namely Mbagala and Kigamboni,” he said.

Home to about 4.5 million people, the sprawling city is currently made up of three districts, which also make up the three municipal councils of Temeke, Kinondoni and Ilala.

The RC said following parents’ positive response to the Fifth Phase Government’s commitment to announce the provision of free education in primary and secondary schools the districts have been overwhelmed by a large number of students, saying the approval of the new districts will be helpful.

He said the districts should put up strategies to embark on urgent measures to build 461 new classrooms and buy 2,745 desks.

The Districts prepared more than 2bn/- in 2015/16 fiscal year to construct 95 classes. According to him, up to January 27 more than 68,111 Standard One pupils were enrolled in which they expected to enrol 68,248.

“We request for more support from the government as we have a serious shortage of classrooms, desks and teachers as they all go hand in hand,” elaborated the RC.

He added, “On Wednesday I visited Majimatitu Primary School in Temeke District and found out that 988 Standard One students were enrolled which is beyond the capacity of the school.”

Expounding further he said there were reallocation of funds amounting to 5bn/- in which they will send a request to the central government for it to be injected in construction of classroom, buying desks and health issues.

On pupils who passed the national examinations but were not selected, he said, they were collecting data from private schools to establish number of students who join Form One in those schools.

He further said up to January 25 a total of 23,616 pupils among them 35,389 have reported to the schools where they were selected and 11,773 have not reported.