Govt mulls over educational debate

AMID various challenges facing the education sector in the country, the government is mulling over organising a national dialogue to allow stakeholders to air their views on addressing the issues, the National Assembly was told on Wednesday.

Former President Benjamin Mkapa is on record to have proposed for the national dialogue to address challenges which have been facing the sector, leading to poor quality particularly in the public education system.

Posing a supplementary question in the National Assembly, Vunjo Member of Parliament, Mr James Mbatia (NCCR-Mageuzi), tasked the government to convene the dialogue, pointing out that there are a number of issues which are facing the sector.

Responding to the question, the Deputy Minister in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Governments, Mr Joseph Kakunda, stated that the government was in the process of convening the dialogue as it was proposed by the former president of the Third Phase Government.

Speaking earlier, the Deputy Minister said the government has taken a number of measures to address challenges facing historic schools in Tabora region through improvement of learning and teaching environment as well as deployment of additional teachers.

“Tabora High School is among old and prominent schools in the country but its infrastructure is dilapidated and in need of renovation. The government is working to improve facilities at the school and others in the region,” Mr Kakunda stated.

According to the Deputy Minister, the government has on the other hand employed 112 teachers and constructed 207 classrooms for primary schools in addition to 179 houses for teachers in Tabora Region as part of efforts to address challenges facing the education sector in the region.

Mr Kakunda noted further that despite challenges facing the sector in the region, performance of education sector in Tabora was satisfactory with records showing that the region was among top ten performers at all levels of education.

The Deputy Minister was prompted to make the explanation in response to a basic question by Special Seats MP, Ms Hawa Mwaifunga (Chadema) who claimed that the quality of education had slumped in Tabora due to a number of challenges.

Ms Mwaifunga cited shortage of teachers and teaching materials as well as high number of students and pupils compared to available teachers as some of the challenges. However, Mr Kakunda clarified that during the past two years the region has been performing above the national pass rate, noting that Tabora has been clinching position number 10 at standard seven, form four and form six examinations