Strengthen science courses, urges Shein

Dr Ali Mohamed Shein

President of Zanzibar Dr Ali Mohamed Shein has called on higher learning institutions to fully invest and promote science related programmes in an effort to address the growing crisis of scientists professionals in the country.

Speaking on his behalf when winding up the year-long celebrations to mark 50 years anniversary of the University of Dar es Salaam yesterday, the fist Vice President of Zanzibar, Maalim Seif said that the tendency of a number of higher learning institutions of ignoring to adopt and promote science courses threatened the country’s future.

“The country is currently facing insufficient science professionals…. this is very dangerous for our country’s future,” the president warned.

In the ceremony which involved laying down a foundation stone for the construction of a student centre, and unveiling a new University of Dar es Salaam Vision 2061, Dr Shain advised higher learning institutions and colleges in the country to set teamwork in a move to address challenges that they face.

He said with teamwork, universities can easily establish and potentially control education standards, education training systems and promotion of students and instructors basic rights in colleges or universities.

“More efforts are needed to be put in place by both higher learning institutions, be it public or private…cooperation is the key to success,” he said.

Adding, University of Dar es Salaam had been a fully grown-up institution and that it needed to set more strategies to archive its goals of operating as an international and leading higher learning institution by 2061.

For his part, Vice Chancellor Prof Rwekaza Mukandala highlighted that unsophisticated and insufficient learning infrastructures were the challenges behind the university’s success and that efforts of addressing the challenges were in place.

Explaining on the student centre, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam Prof Yunus Mgaya said over 80 percent of students camped outside the institutions thus threatening their wellbeing and studies.

He said the institution lacked extra learning environments and that the existed library was not enough to accommodate all students at the university.

“It’s for that reason that we agreed to set a student centre that can accommodate some students while admitted at UDSM,” he said.

The University has succeeded to collect 3.5bn/- for the construction of students’ centre during the year- long celebrations to mark 50 years anniversary of the University.

The students’ center is projected to cost 18bn/- upon its completion. The 3.5bn/- was generated from the university’s internal sources, contribution held by the Tanzania President Dr Jakaya Kikwete and President of Uganda Yoweri Mseven.