DODOMA: LAWMAKERS have called for a more strategic approach to economic development, prioritising education, infrastructure and investment in sectors such as agriculture, mining and tourism.
They offered the advice in the National Assembly yesterday when debating the budget framework proposal and the National Development Plan for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
Members of Parliament highlighted the need for increased government funding in key areas, improved education outcomes and a more conducive business environment.
Musoma Rural MP Professor Sospeter Muhongo said that in villages, three key areas water, electricity and roads should be prioritised in the budget.
He said that funds might be insufficient and aside from internal revenue sources, Tanzania should begin strategic discussions on borrowing at a low interest rate of two per cent to implement the projects and consider using stock exchanges for additional funding.
“As we wrap up this five year term and begin another heading toward 2050, our top priority should be aligning education with employment, both domestically and internationally,” he said.
Muhongo added that there is a significant shortage of jobs abroad, giving an example of the United States where they are now seeking skilled workers rather than just foreigners.
“In Europe, they have introduced a blue card system to attract skilled people, with countries like Germany needing foreign experts in fields such as manufacturing, IT, healthcare, engineering, construction, agriculture and forestry.
“France has a demand in 23 areas, so Tanzanians should not limit themselves to jobs within the country. Our education must align with external demands, particularly in science and languages. English cannot be avoided; it is widely used in job postings abroad alongside French,” he said.
He added that more efforts should be put into core subjects Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology alongside language studies in English and French. The upcoming budget should focus on building more laboratories and libraries, as skilled workers cannot be produced without lab facilities in schools.
“To illustrate our poor performance in science, over 500,000 students in Form Four, only 25 took Physics and 35 took Chemistry…economic plans are not aligned with educational plans.”
He cited Algeria, which exports gas and LNG and Vietnam which has transformed its agricultural economy post-war to produce 27 million tonnes of rice compared to Tanzania’s 2.5 million tonnes this year.
Special Seats MP Dr Thea Ntara said that research could also be a revenue source, but those conducting research should return their findings to the local level. He said experience shows permits for research are often granted, yet reports rarely reach the districts and regions.
“There should also be a focus on assistive devices for people with disabilities, so we can fulfil the government’s role in removing taxes on these expensive devices.” she said.
Nominated MP Ambassador Liberata Mulamula advised the government to budget for poverty research at the household level.
“Economic diplomacy has opened up many opportunities, but embassies are not sufficiently funded to carry out economic diplomacy effectively,” she noted.
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She commended efforts to host the Kiswahili festival in Cuba and launch a Kiswahili dictionary but emphasized that embassies need adequate support to drive economic diplomacy.
Liwale MP Zubeir Kuchauka expressed concerns about the adequacy of electricity supply, noting that some regions, such as Lindi, are still not connected to the national grid. The next budget should ensure the matter addressed.
He also questioned the ratio of taxpayers to the total population, suggesting that statistics on taxpayer numbers versus population growth should be presented annually.
Kahama MP Jumanne Kishimba questioned the rationale behind the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) suing unemployed university graduates who owe loans, arguing that the board granted the loans for education, but many graduates fail to secure employment.
“Recently, the loan board announced that they will carry out an operation to apprehend all defaulters. My point is that if the board provided loans and the education received cannot help in securing employment, then who should be held accountable?” he queried.
Kawe MP Josephat Gwajima outlined six sectors that, if strategically developed on long term basis, could significantly boost national progress.
He said that some ministers may be criticised unfairly due to a lack of long-term planning and vision.
