Focus on innovations to solve social problems, upcoming scientists challenged

TANZANIAN science students have been challenged to up efforts in focusing on innovations that would bring solutions to problems facing the society.

Director of Cooperate Services for Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), Mr Emmanuel Mgonja, said the upcoming scientists should come up with new technologies that would turn challenges into opportunities.

He made the call during the closing of 10-month Future STEM Business Leaders programme (FSBL)in Dar es, Salaam.

The programme, which is run by the Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) through in-kind support from the Institute of Physics (IOP) of London, United Kingdom, and is primarily driven by local partnerships including the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), aims at supporting students to apply their scientific training to solve local problems, through the creation of science-based business.

“The science students have to increase their efforts in focusing on innovations which intend to solve problems in society by finding the appropriate technologies that will turn those challenges into opportunities to face employment challenges in the country,” he underlined.

Explaining about the Programme, Mr Mgonja noted that the training would help change young people’s mentality and attitudes about science subjects and instead use such subjects as a opportunity for solving challenges in the societies.

“This training will encourage many young people to see science subjects as an opportunity that can help a person initiate business and create jobs,” he noted.

In a related development , Mr Mgonja applauded DBTi , UDSM and IOP as well as  COSTECH  for organising the Future STEM Business Leaders programme while imploring them to expand the scope in other regions to reach many young Tanzanians studying science.

Expounding, Chief Executive Officer of DTBi, Dr Erasto Mlyuka, unveiled that so far the programme has reached 85 students from Dar es salaam and Arusha since the programme started in 2017.

According to him, the DTBi is ensuring that the project is implemented throughout the country to reach many young innovators and encourage young people to take science subjects.

The CEO further said to ensure that innovations are brought to the market, the DTBi has come up with a module that involves partners who are implementers in the field of science including innovators, teachers and business mentors, while adding that the partnership will make progress in technological development in the county.