Government: ongoing education sector reforms intact
TANZANIA: PERMANENT Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Carolyne Nombo has expressed government’s commitment to reform education sector, including review of education policies and curricula.
Prof Nombo said the framework for teacher education curricula has been successfully developed and the implementation is planned to start in January 2024.
He made the remark during the opening of teacher education stakeholders meeting held in Dar es Salaam, on Monday.
The PS said that through the meeting the stakeholders will get time to discuss major issues in the new curriculum, especially to accept the changes and prepare for implementation.
“Since all stakeholders who are responsible to prepare teachers are here including Teachers colleges and Universities, it is my hope that through your discussions in this meeting, you will come up with ideas to harmonise the implementation of teacher education in the country at all levels,” Prof Nombo said.
Moreover, Prof Nombo said the quality of teachers is a fundamental factor in the success of any education system.
“To prepare teachers of the same high quality at all levels, we must recognise the shared principles and practices that make a great teacher,” she added.
She also urged the meeting to explore and share the best practices of preparing quality teachers at all levels as means to prepare themselves to implement the new teacher education curriculum.
Similarly, the PS said that she recognises the support of Technical Assistants to the Teacher Education Development Project (TA-TESP) who work closely with TESP management team to ensure that project activities are carried out as planned
According to Prof Nombo, the main areas of technical assistance provided during this year include providing ongoing daily technical assistance to the Ministry’s TESP team and supporting the implementation of the Gender Equality in Teacher Education Strategy (GESTE).
Other assistance provided by TA-TESP include Planning and implementation of environmental sustainability and green design initiatives in Teacher Colleges, strategising and delivery of initiatives to enhance the continuation of TESP activities and sustainability of TESP results as well as the designing and delivering a workshop for Teacher Colleges on resource mobilisation.
“I urge each one of you to actively participate in the discussion so as to come up with better undertakings on TESP continuity and sustainability… It is my expectation that after this meeting you will come up with proper plans to sustain the achievement made by TESP in teacher education,” she insisted
On the other hand, the Permanent Secretary said that monitoring and evaluation report conducted this year has revealed a commendable impact in all areas of project support in teacher education.
She noted that books and other teaching and learning materials provided by TESP have instigated the reading culture in Teacher Colleges among student teachers and tutors, adding that Student teachers and tutors are pleased with the supply of computers and other ICT facilities important in their teaching and learning,
“TESP has made significant investments in constructing and rehabilitating college buildings, with a particular focus on enhancing library services, ICT rooms and science laboratories in eight teacher colleges including Korogwe, Butimba, Tukuyu, Patandi, Mpwapwa, Morogoro, Dakawa and Kasulu,” she added.
For her part, Head of Corporation in High Commission of Canada, Ms Helen Fytche said Canada is cooperating with the ministry of education to improve the teacher’s education system for the benefit of the current and next generation.
