Tanzania: Major Facelift On Technical Schools

By Rodgers Luhwago

Dodoma — THE government has spent a whopping 16.43bn/- in renovating education infrastructure of the country's nine technical schools, including employing 150 teachers, it has been stated.

The major facelift on the technical schools restores the glory they enjoyed back in the days, with the newly recruited teachers now being given the task of teaching students based on competence approach.

Minister of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Selemani Jafo yesterday spoke of the government's determination to take the performance of the technical schools to new heights when he held a video conference in Dodoma involving regional commissioners, education officers and headmasters/headmistresses from areas with the schools.

Showing how President John Magufuli is determined to improve provision of technical education to students in the country, the minister said the government has laid down strategies of procuring teaching and learning equipment by allocating 30m/- for each technical school.

Regional commissioners from areas where the technical schools are found have also been ordered to serve as their patrons and ensure students complete their secondary education with high level of competence in practical skills, preparing them expeditiously for employment.

In this sense, Iringa Regional Commissioner, Ally Happpi becomes the patron of Ifunda Technical School while Mbeya Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila now serves as Iyunga Technical School patron.

Other regional commissioners who have been directed to serve as patrons with their regions and schools in brackets are Gelasius Byakanwa (Mtwara-Mtwara Technical School), Adamu Malima (Mara- Musoma Technical School), Martin Shigella (Tanga -Tanga Technical School) John Mongela-(Mwanza- Bwiru Technical School) and Robert Gabriel (Geita- Chato Technical School).

Kilimanjaro RC Anna Mgwira is serving as Moshi Technical School matron while Shinyanga RC Zainabu Taraki is for Mwadui Technical School.

The minister also listed the allocation of new teachers to the technical schools, with their number in brackets, as Bwiru (16), Chato (18), Ifunda (16), Iyunga (17), Moshi (17), Mtwara (15), Musoma (16), Mwadui (18) and Tanga (17).

Mr Jafo ordered an immediate release of subsistence allowance to the new teachers to avoid subjecting them to tough life.

District and municipal councils where the schools are found have been directed to take good care of the institutions so that infrastructures built or renovated can last longer for the benefit of current and future generations.

Mr Jafo said it is the government's determination to see that students studying in technical schools are capable of manufacturing simple products at their schools' workshops, such as toothpicks, chalks and other items instead of sourcing them from far places including China.

He implored teachers to be open-minded when teaching students by inviting skilled individuals from nearby areas to share their knowledge with the children.

He said as opposed to the past, he would like to see students become competent by acquiring practical skills in various fields such as masonry, electrical and mechanical engineering, carpentry and mobile phone, radio and TV repair and maintenance.

He said teachers must display a high level of performance so that students graduating from the schools can join technical colleges such as National Institute of Transport, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) etc.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government-Education) Gerald Mweli asked teachers to be innovative and creative when discharging their responsibilities, including using tools that are available in their areas, such as worn out cars.

Education Director (Regional Administration and Local Government), Julius Nestory said each technical school must come up with a work plan on practical training.