Development Capacity: Where is Tanzanian Science?

[Kinyambiss]

Almost half a century has passed since independence. We are in the second decade of the 21st century and we are not worthy of even being called an agricultural society because of the way our agriculture is practiced. Our government has from its inception talked of 'Kilimo utiwamgongo' then came 'Kilimo Kwanza' but is it not 'Kilimo Hewa'? I dont understand what Tanzania does when it comes to science and innovation?

The generation that is intended to be lead by the middle of he century, when the world will either face nuclear war or a massive technological revolution due to Nanotech, Genetics, Cosmology, Fusion Energy, will not exist because they are failing now in secondary schools. Are we set to import expertise from the West and China until the middle of the 22nd century? Do these questions even occur to our leaders? That is what makes me very nervous.

As a nation, why is the government spending money on things that we do not need rather than building science academies and centres of excellence? Why, as Mwanakijiji noted, is a significant portion of our GDP not spent on R&D into technology that can help us achieve economic prosperity in Agriculture (through engineering, genetics, IT, medicine and manufacturing industries)?

Have we no shame for the gloomy future that our children are being left with? Or are they set to be slaves of the West and far East in the years to come. What is it that is soo impossible?

We are so narrow minded as a nation it scares me. America, China, EU, India, Japan and the rest of the advanced nations are doing research into the technologies that will power the century, from Fusion Energy at ITER which will create endless energy capacity in the next century, to nanophotonics in the US (Rice University is looking at how to use nanobots and lasers to kill tumours). They are building quantum and photonic computers which will revolutionize the world the same way Faraday's Iron ring did! Sisi tunaiba ruzuku za pembejeo? Waafrika either tunama*i ama sijui...

How is it that so many secondary school students are failing in mathematics and science subjects? Yani hiyo inatosha waziri waelimu ajiuzulu. It directly affects national security in the next 50-80 years.

I dont think that CCM is the only problem. Ukweli ni kwamba tunahitaji viongozi wenye mtazamo wa mbali kweli kweli vinginevyo tumeisha kabla hatujaanza. So far sijaona mwanasiasa anaraaise hizi concerns, nikama vile wote misukule ya nani sijui.

Kwanini hakuna utaratibu waku award academic and research excellence in Tanzania, kumotivate research and achievement in science. Naombeni list ya the top 20 scientists in Tanzania and what significant achievements they have had. Tuwalist hapa tujui who are the Edd Witten and Michio Kakus and Hawkingz of Tanzania.. Mimi naogopa sana tunapoelekea..

 

[Josh Michael]

Wewe umesema ukweli kabisa na pia ni kheri wajenge katika tafiti kuliko siasa za Tanzania.inachukiza sana kuona jinsi gani ilivyo

 

[Eric Cartman]

Si wewe tu unae ogopa yeyote mwenye akili zake timamu lazima aogope. Tumekazana sana na kulalamika amna maendeleo bila ya kutaja sababu za maendeleo. It is as if malaendeleo nao yanakuja natural to without any catalyst.

Bila ya hata kuangalia sababu zako ambazo ni muhimu mno kwenye jamii sisi wenyewe watanzania ni wavivu wa fikra na ni very opinionated individuals in most cases. We angalia hata humu ndani ya forum people do not like to be challenged.

How are you to move forward if your stuck to your way of thinking. We need open minded people na watu wenye kubishana hili kuinua changamoto za maendeleo. Lakini mtu akibishiwa tu basi end of the debate you have to wonder was it his original idea au ndio kakariri some page only to make an argument.

Its not just science labs and scientist that we luck the but the will to debate on how we achieve the important argument you brought forward. When we talk of things we have to understand large funds are required sasa iwapo mtu atakwambia we do not need foreign aid. Ukamuuliza why kisha anapotea you have to question his confidence in the matter and why he even brought the topic in the first place. Was the purpose to inform or be scrutanized? certain members can answer that.

Uko si kujifanya mtu unajua bali tunajibizana ili kujuzana au tuje tufike on the better solution. Something Tanzanians are too proud to debate on; na mtu ukiangalia what it takes ndio narudia point yako unaishiwa nguvu.

 

[Magezi]

Ukweli ni kuwa hata sisi members wa JF karibu wengi tumetokea ktk mfumo huu wa tangu Mwalimu nyerere ambapo hakukuwa na msukumo wa kuhimiza watu kufikiri na kutenda kulingana na ukweli.

mwalimu nyerere alijaribu sana kuendeleza sayansi na teknolojia kwa sababu alianzisha sekondari za ufundi na vyuo vya ufundi kama Mbeya, Arusha na Dar Tech (DIT) na pia alijitahidi kuvipa resources vyuo hivi.

Mdudu aliingia ktk sekta ya sayansi baada ya kuja utawala wa Mzee mwinyi ambaye alithamini kununua hata koroboi kutoka India na china kisa eti hakuna fedha za kuwawezesha VETA kutengeneza hivyo vibatari. Sasa hivi VETA imejitahidi kuendeleza ufundi wa vitu vidogo vidogo lakini kinachoiua hii VETA yetu ni kwamba serikali yenyewe haitaki kununua vifaa vinavyo tengenezwa na VETA na hata vyuo vyetu vingine na makampuni ya kiufundi ya watanzania wazawa. Hapa ndo serikali inashiriki kuua sayansi yetu ktk level ya awali.

Katika level ya juu serikali inaua sayansi ya nchi kwa kutoweka bajeti ya maana ktk Research and development projects. Angalia scholarships zote zinazotolewa na mataifa yaliyo endelea kwa Afrika, hutaweza kuona wanantoa fedha kwenye research za maana kama Mechanical, Civil, Electrical Engineering n.k. Hapa ndipo serikali ya CCM ilitakiwa kuwekeza ili hata kile kiwanda cha Nyumbu kifufuke lakini pesa inkwenda EPA na kagoda n.k.

Kitu kingine kinachoua elimu ya sayansi na teknologia ni mambo kama uamuzi wa mawaziri wehu kama Mungai aliyekuwa ameamua kufuta shule za ufundi na kubadili mtaala wa masomo ya sayansi kama chemistry na physics. Jambo lingine ni hizi shule za ST........, angalia ni shule gani ya ST....... inayotoa wanafunzi wenye kuchukua mchepuo wa sayansi? utakuta wote ni arts.....n.k.

Tuna safari ndefu ktk hili bila kuwa na Rais kama Paul Kagame wa Rwanda ambaye tangu aingie madarakani pamoja na udikteta wake lakini amewatumia wataalam kutoka Tanzania na sasa anaweka wireless link ktk Jiji lote la kigali, kiwete yeye anafikiria atapataje vijisenti kutoka pesa za barabara ya bagamoyo-msata...je, kuna kitu hapo????

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

The question should be where is African science

 

[Magezi]

Julius; If that's the case we can also ask what's the chinese science? because whatever they have has been copied from somewhere and modified.

The question for africa is why we can not even copy and get it modified?

 

[Kinyambiss]

Maybe the answer is 'kwababu'..lol..

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Julius; If that's the case we can also ask what's the chinese science? because whatever they have has been copied from somewhere and modified.

At least they are smart enough to copy other's inventions to their advantage. We Africans are too dumb and stupid we can't even copy anything let alone do anything.

The question for africa is why we can not even copy and get it modified?

Fair enough. But do you have an answer beside the old tired cliches of slavery, leadership etc...?

 

[Kinyambiss]

We have no priorities as a nation and the population is so embroiled in immediate issues such as njaa, ufisadi, lack of umeme, we forget that education is the future. Our knowhow as a nation must improve drastically if we are to escape poverty. I mean, we need to first figure out the things that we need to learn first... How to feed ourselves, how to treate ourselves, how to build technological machines that will make our lives easier and more rewarding. Sio lazima kila kitu mpaka kiwe 'majaribu' ya Mungu. People need to stop accepting suffering as just a consequence of God's will and trials and tribulations 'za dunia'. There is a need really address the problems we have and to also put money into promoting our knowledge base.

Politicians will tell you that Tanzania is poor but some of the things that country spends money on, are just pointless or at least should not be a top priority. Policies mbovu....

 

[Rev. Kishoka]

May be we should define Science!

1 : the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding
2 a : a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study <the science of theology> b : something (as a sport or technique) that may be studied or learned like systematized knowledge <have it down to a science>
3 a : knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws especially as obtained and tested through scientific method b : such knowledge or such a system of knowledge concerned with the physical world and its phenomena : natural science
4 : a system or method reconciling practical ends with scientific laws <cooking is both a science and an art>
5 capitalized : christian science

 

[Scientist]

Serikali ya CCM haijaweka any priority kwenye kuendeleza sayansi na teknolojia. Pamoja na hilo, ndugu zetu wenye maendeleo makubwa ktk sayansi na teknolojia wanafanya kila wanaloweza tusiwafikie ktk lolote ili tuendelee kuwategemea. Ndio maana CHINA wanaishia kukopi...ambapo sisi hata kukopi tumeshindwa kwani rushwa na siasa/sera mbovu vimetumaliza kabisaa...

 

[Kang]

Julius; If that's the case we can also ask what's the chinese science? because whatever they have has been copied from somewhere and modified.

The question for africa is why we can not even copy and get it modified?

This is a stupid stereotype, the Chinese have invented a lot of things including paper, printing and gunpowder.
Just take a look here [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_inventions[/ame]

And science does not mean invention anyway, to make a fake iPod you still need a lot of advanced science & technology. Even the real iPod is made in China!

 

[Selemani]

This is a good topic. Thanks mdau for putting it up there.

Kwanza, JK has increased goverment spending on research. From 0.3% of GDP to 1% and I think we are in top 5 in research spending in Africa. CDC just completed a nice maabara ya National Institute of Medical Research hapa Ocean Road and they have a capacity to do a lot of medical reasearches and diagnostics. So we are making right steps but as you have pointed out, bado tuko nyuma sana.

Research and Development is incredibly expensive. Some molecular biology procedures may cost up to 20 dollars just to do it once, and one has to do the procedure repeatedly just to get it right. And you need the infrastructure capabilities, including sustainable umeme to have world class research center. Now, we are very poor as a country. A lot of people don't have access to afya bora, and those who do, wanalala mzungu wa nne kwenye wodi za muhimbili na mwananyamala (We have high nosocomial infections rate). With all this issues, research is just not a priority and I sympathize with serikali on this one.

Pili, Tanzania as a member of WTO has been on a bad end of these trade agreements. You have US patent laws incorporated in trade agreements as well. And on top of that, I'm sure our trade deficit is just awful. Ndio maana kila siku masupermarket yanafunguliwa and everything in it is imported. That dwarfs out technological capacity, why inventing anything if we import everything. And even on mining sector that we have been able to attract a lot of investors, that hasn't revolutionize mining technology like in South Africa. We are just no demanding a lot from our investors.

Tatu, we are a nation of Standard 7, Form Four leavers, and Form sixers. Hii ni elimu ya kufuta ujinga, there are no skills being acquired ukiwa unasoma PCM au ECA. And this has enormous effects on attracting investors and how much are they going to invest on technology. I dont wanna invest a 10 million dollar project in Magu, knowing that people who are going to run machineries are more likely to destroy them than utilize their potential. We need to have an educated population, or at least skilled population.

Nne, historically great technologies have been military funded. Nazis were discovering shit everyday because of their desire to be powerful. Cold war resulted a great technological leap, and today most biochemical researches, infectious diseases (especially zoonotic ones) are being militarily funded because of bio-terrorism threat. The robot technology is also militarily funded because this is how future wars will be fought. My point is in Tanzania, we don't have all these military incentives to invent new shit. And that is why there is a big technological gap between rich countries and low income countries.

Mwisho, most economics will tell you that advancing technology is a key to economic growth in this era we are living. Tanzania have to invest in technology if we need a shot out of extreme poverty. Maybe we need to eliminate Advanced level education, kwamba ukimaliza form 4 then u go to University straight up. I do not see the umuhimu wa A'level, rather than being a chujio to eliminate kids who are qualified to study for their degrees. Also, reforming VETA, Dar Tech, na Mbeya Tech. Give them prestige like the one Mzumbe has, double the funding and recruit the best and the brightest. Also, we need to pick a technology area where we can excel and be a regional leader (East Africa). Kwa mfano pharmaceuticals, au mining sector and we impose high tariffs on imported goods that will undermine our efforts. If we pursue that vigorously like India did with I.T and China did with manufactures, maybe we can get out of wilderness that we are in.

Anyways, as you have mentioned this will need a visionary leader, and a population of Tanzanians who are willing to be better citizens (because we sucks as citizens right now).

 

[Gelange Vidunda]

..........................
..................................

Kitu kingine kinachoua elimu ya sayansi na teknologia ni mambo kama uamuzi wa mawaziri wehu kama Mungai aliyekuwa ameamua kufuta shule za ufundi na kubadili mtaala wa masomo ya sayansi kama chemistry na physics. ...........

........................

Japokuwa nakubaliana na uhuru wako wa kusema chochote (entitled to your own opinion?) kuna mambo mengine ni vema tujue ni argument zipi ni za kweli au la. Vilevile mimi nafikiri kuita watu majina si ustaarabu. Hivi kuna yeyote humu ndani aliyekuwa na lile tamko Mungai alilotoa kuhusiana na mitaala, mashindano ya kitaifa ya michezo shule za msingi na sekondari? Nauliza hivi kwani inawezekana watu wengi humu wamepotoshwa na maneno yaliyoandikwa na waandishi wa habari kama walivyotafsiri wao wenyewe. Kwa kweli sikujua kuwa shule za ufundi zimefutwa hii ni kweli hii? So what happened to Moshi Tech, Ifunda etc. Hii mitaala iliyobadilishwa ikawaje? Na ilikuwaje awali na hivi inawezekana kubadilisha kitu kama mitaala hivihivi tuu bila ya kushirikisha tume fulani fulani, in this case tume za mambo ya elimu?

My two cents........

 

[Abdulhalim]

Naona katibu mukhtasi wa mzee wa magogoni naye anachangia mada..

Nways, Ukiniuliza matatizo yetu yanaanzia wapi mi ntakutajia lililo kuu. I can put it one lil phrase

MFUMO DUNI WA KUJITAWALA UNAO- RELY SUBJECTIVITY & POLITICS.

Nchi yetu haihitaji siasa at all wala hizo 1% funding ya research za kuganga njaa, thats pure nonsense and useless.

Nchi yetu inatakiwa iongozwe na jopo la wataalamu, ambalo litakuwa linaoversee sub-jopos vidogo vingine kadhaa ambavyo vitakuwa vinajishughulisha kisekta.

Ktk hii model ninayoifikiria, the sub-jopos zitakuwa zinaripoti kwa central jopo ambalo litaoptimize utendaji wa hivi vijopo. Merit ya kuwa memba wa hivi vijopo na jopo kuu ni your patriotism & technical knowhow, na system ya kufanya kazi itakuwa inafanya kazi ktk mfumo transparent and free from subjectivity and other nonsense.

Unless tuna-adopt mfumo ambao ni competitive ambao upo free of politics and subjectivity and opinions, kila siku tutakuwa tunaongelea haya matatizo ad infinitum.
​

 

[Kituko]

mimi nadhani labda sijaelewa swali vizuri, lakini kama mascientist wa kiTanzania walifanya makubwa wako wengi sana, asa far as i know science ni research and comes to conclusion either inakuwa LAW, THEORY, HYPOTHESIS, etc
Kwa Tanzania Hiyo migodi yote iliyopo imefanyiwa utafiti na Mageologist wa kiTanznia kutoka kwenye Grass root, mpka akufikia stage ya Mining, namaanisha migodi yote iliyopo Tanzania (Resolute, Bulyangulu, Tulawaka, Geita, Buzwagi etc) na MaScientist wa Kitanzania walifanya hizo Reseach ni wengi mno,
hiyo ni fani moja tu lakini nadhani kila fani wapo mascientist waliofikia kwenye viwango vya kuproduce vitu vya maana

 

[Kinyambiss]

That means nothing because mining contribution to the GPD is peanuts under the current mining regime. We need an Agricultural revolution. Ata kuassemble ma trekta inakuwa gumzo. Jamani. Wakati the tech is there, watu wenye akili za kuweza kujifunza all this wapo, sasa serikali imechukua decade ngapi mpaka sasa bado tuuu.. stori.

Nyumbu wanafanyanini? We ought to be able to set up an industry to get away from the 'hand hoe' situation. Tena viwanda vingejengwa miji mingine tofauti na Dar, ili tupunguze urbanization. All we need is a plan to train watu, labour would be relatively cheap, tunaweka linkages na cheap energy..(naona Gas power imekuwa disappointment). If the cost of prouction can be kept low kiasi, na credit facilities and the relevant training ipewe kwa wakulima wadogo.. kila kijiji kiwe na trekta.. Seed tech.. iongezwe, irrigation tech.. Hizi ndio teknologia ambazo tunatakiwa tujifunze. This will help Tanzania more than mining which has so far done little.. and will not be an option by the end of the century.

Sele mwambie bosi huyu mwalimu wa PE Mahiza ampotezee baada ya uchaguzi. Kaongea ujinga anasema poor performance ya wanafunzi haina uhusiano na 'quality' ya elimu!! Is this woman serious..lol Jamani

 

[Selemani]

Naona katibu mukhtasi wa mzee wa magogoni naye anachangia mada..

Nways, Ukiniuliza matatizo yetu yanaanzia wapi mi ntakutajia lililo kuu. I can put it one lil phrase

MFUMO DUNI WA KUJITAWALA UNAO- RELY SUBJECTIVITY & POLITICS.

Nchi yetu haihitaji siasa at all wala hizo 1% funding ya research za kuganga njaa, thats pure nonsense and useless.

Nchi yetu inatakiwa iongozwe na jopo la wataalamu, ambalo litakuwa linaoversee sub-jopos vidogo vingine kadhaa ambavyo vitakuwa vinajishughulisha kisekta.

Ktk hii model ninayoifikiria, the sub-jopos zitakuwa zinaripoti kwa central jopo ambalo litaoptimize utendaji wa hivi vijopo. Merit ya kuwa memba wa hivi vijopo na jopo kuu ni your patriotism & technical knowhow, na system ya kufanya kazi itakuwa inafanya kazi ktk mfumo transparent and free from subjectivity and other nonsense.

Unless tuna-adopt mfumo ambao ni competitive ambao upo free of politics and subjectivity and opinions, kila siku tutakuwa tunaongelea haya matatizo ad infinitum.
​

Babu isn't all that means a government? Au?

 

[Selemani]

That means nothing because mining contribution to the GPD is peanuts under the current mining regime. We need an Agricultural revolution. Ata kuassemble ma trekta inakuwa gumzo. Jamani. Wakati the tech is there, watu wenye akili za kuweza kujifunza all this wapo, sasa serikali imechukua decade ngapi mpaka sasa bado tuuu.. stori.

Nyumbu wanafanyanini? We ought to be able to set up an industry to get away from the 'hand hoe' situation. Tena viwanda vingejengwa miji mingine tofauti na Dar, ili tupunguze urbanization. All we need is a plan to train watu, labour would be relatively cheap, tunaweka linkages na cheap energy..(naona Gas power imekuwa disappointment). If the cost of prouction can be kept low kiasi, na credit facilities and the relevant training ipewe kwa wakulima wadogo.. kila kijiji kiwe na trekta.. Seed tech.. iongezwe, irrigation tech.. Hizi ndio teknologia ambazo tunatakiwa tujifunze. This will help Tanzania more than mining which has so far done little.. and will not be an option by the end of the century.

Sele mwambie bosi huyu mwalimu wa PE Mahiza ampotezee baada ya uchaguzi. Kaongea ujinga anasema poor performance ya wanafunzi haina uhusiano na 'quality' ya elimu!! Is this woman serious..lol Jamani

Kaka, I have no access to bosi maan.

I think lagging behind on technology can also be advantageous to us. Think about how we skipped land line phones and jump straight into cell phones (although it is not perfect). I think if we have right leadership on top, and invest on the right technologies and skipping destructive ones. Maybe we can jump straight into nuclear and renewable energy sources and forget about oil derived energy since it is not sustainable. This is an upside of lagging behind on technology. I agree with you maan, if agriculture is done right, at least we can be able to feed our own country. In order to be competitive and export a lot of food, then we need to heavily subsidize our farmers and again re-negotiating our trade deals (so as we don't import juice ya machungwa kutoka South Africa, and if we do--the price has to be competitive with the local industry). Two big problems in Agriculture bongo (Apart from awful leadership that we have)that would create problems ni controlling of mbung'o na excessive rain and/or drought seasons. We have to figure out ways to get behind those two.

 

[bagamoyo]

Naanza kutaja scientist wa Kitanzania aliyejadiliwa ktk JF:
Mpemba Effect by Erasto Mpemba
The Mpemba Effect is a special phenomenon where hot water freezes faster than cold water. The discovery of this effect was made by a high school student named Mpemba in Tanzania, Africa in 1969. He noticed this phenomenon while making ice cream and was curious enough to make note of it. His teachers did not believe it was possible, and it took several years until university professors finally accepted his discovery.