MUSOMA: MTIRO Secondary School based in Musoma Rural District has started construction of three laboratories for students’ science subject practical learning.
Musoma Rural Constituency’s Member of Parliament (MP), Professor Sospeter Muhongo made the statement on Thursday, calling for citizens to support the government effort in ensuring the projects are completed.
Prof Muhongo said upon completion, the laboratories will act as the stepping stone for students in rural areas to perform well in Physics, Biology and Chemistry, theoretically and practically.
“For a long time the absence of laboratories at Mtiro Secondary School demotivated students’ ambition in studying science subjects, I believe the presence of laboratories will motivate and encourage them to love science,” Prof Muhongo said.
He said the funds for the construction of three laboratories come from both financial, materials and workforce contributions.
He said citizens have contributed about 8m/-, while teachers and students have made available water, stones and sand worth about 4m/-.
Moreover, he said 200 bags of cement and 29 steel bars were obtained from the Musoma Rural Constituency’s Development Fund.
For his part, Prof Muhongo as the area MP contributed 125 bags of cement to fast track the construction, requesting other development stakeholders to support the move financially through donations.
He said so far the construction is at the foundation stage. Prof Muhongo said currently Musoma Rural secondary students’ performance in science subjects is unsatisfactory.
Prof Muhongo said the presence of demotivated students with poor performance in science subjects is a setback to the country’s ability of having many scientists.
Detailing the status of students’ performance in science subjects at the school, he said last year (2022) in Musoma Rural, out of 139 students who finished their secondary school studies in Form Four, only one student passed science subjects to join Form Five.
He said this year (2023) in the entire rural area, out of 123 students who are graduating Form Four, only 21 are studying Physics and 26 are studying Chemistry.
He said Mtiro Secondary School that is located at Bukumi Ward in Musoma Rural started operation in 2006 by providing education services to students mainly from four villages, namely Bukumi, Buira, Buraga and Busekera.