MINISTER for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adolph Mkenda has urged parents and the community to support schools’ voluntary contribution and development projects.
He said much as the government has introduced fee free education from primary to advanced level of secondary school, still there is need for the community to continue contributing for education development.
He made the call recently at Msinune Primary School in Chalinze, Coast Region, when inaugurating six teachers’ houses built in collaboration with the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA) and Flaviana Matata Foundation.
Minister Mkenda said it is common to contribute to various events in the society, saying that people should see the importance of contributing towards improvement of the education sector.
“The government provides fee free education, but that does not mean that members of the public are not allowed to contribute to the development of the schools around their communities. What we have rejected is mandatory contributions,” he said.
He also used the platform to assure parents that no student will be sent home for failing to contribute voluntarily to school’s development programmes.
Prof Mkenda also urged Tanzanians to build a culture of giving back to the community and in this case, he encouraged them to regularly visit schools they went through and contribute funds for development programmes.
On her side, Director General of Tanzania Education Fund (TEA), Ms Bahati Geuzye said the Authority had contributed 50m/-, while Flaviana Matata Foundation contributed 100m/- for the construction of the six teachers’ houses.
She said so far four houses were fully completed and other remaining two were at finishing stages. She said TEA will work hand in hand with Chalinze District Council to ensure the houses are completed within a short period so that teachers could move in.
On his side, Chalinze Member of Parliament, Ridhiwan Kikwete commended TEA for its initiatives to renovate various schools’infrastructures in the district.
“We are very thankful to Flaviana Matata Foundation and TEA… you have made us proud and we promise to protect the infrastructure you have built so that they last long for the coming generation,” said Mr Ridhiwan.
