Investing in Tomorrow's leaders today...

Well and good.

I read the article with great pleasure, even though ordinarily I would be disposed to relegate this effort to corporatocracy's latest self redeeming attempts at creating a good image through PR. But I guess a crumb of a bread is better than nothing.In any case it is a challenging spark that begs to light up the bushfire.

It is refreshing to see educational opportunities extended to young people of modest means.

What we really need to do is embrace this en masse, embrace this locally - meaning focus on enabling Tanzanian Secondary Schools and Higher Learning Institutions to churn a world quality calibre of leaders- so that we do not only produce a handful of the so called Young Turks (who will probably end up being scooped up by corporate America - that part of the article saying Tanzanians have an impressive returning rate is self serving hogwash- or even if they return, returning with vast feelings of entitlement and elitism, we have been there with the Mkapa's of this world) but also we should aim at creating an entire generation of enlightened and critical Young Turks. Not a token pair here and there that is almost surely going to be sucked up in the vacuum cleaner of the aggressive mediocrity that prevails in the corridors of power in Tanzania.I have friends at Ikulu and Vice President's office wailing and mourning the fate of our country because they see this aggressive mediocrity and institutionalized idiocracy first hand, and even with the best intentions, they are not influential enough, so at the end of the day they just go with the flow.

It is only through sufficiently educating a considerable percent of the youth that we can achieve the critical mass, the escape velocity if you like. One of the problems, as I mentioned earlier, is the almost poisonous traditions in the rungs of powers, recorded for posterity (I hope, Invisible keep backups of backups for future generatins) in the annals of our dear JF. On the one hand I really do hope for a mass of the old guards, but on the other hand there is a vacuum of experience which to my delight, this article brings to light the need to fill.

To be fair, our country faces an almost innumerable number of challenges at once.And I cannot say with all convictions that meticulously planning to educate a cadre of the youth with the intent of making them future leaders is exactly the topmost priority.The infant mortality rate is horrible and needs attention, the road network needs an overhaul - in some cases even the mere initial building is not done- cancer patients need attentin etc, etc. But also, there is a lot of money being wasted in unnecessary ways.

The article brings a serious issue to light, and should be taken as a challenge not only by young Tanzanians, but also by all young Africans with much to contribute to the development of Africa. What was not sufficiently illuminated was the importance of a cultural morality that cannot be taught in any classroom and must be instilled by societal experiences. I may be turning overly cynical about our country - especially the urban parts- due to my experience of what is happenning. But I believe we may just be able to produce at least one charismatic, knowledgeable and courageous enough leader who will be able to climb the treachorous ladder of party politics and deliver our country from the current sure demise.But without a conscious effort to produce these ethos in the average citizen, we are bound to produce an average citizen, and therefore an average leader, who is ill informed, small minded, unexposed and naturally incapable of dealing with the big issues facing Tanzania and Africa today.

This is not an issue to be left to one institution, or a handful of institutions alone.The education of our next batch of leaders is not to be outsourced to Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Oxbridge (at least not to be relegated to these Ivys and blueblood institutions). This must be a national and nationwide effort rooted in the finding of solutions to problems that are uniquely Tanzanian first, African second and global third. With the current brain drain and overwesternized attitude we risk learning a lot of theories - some of them even not in our interest- and not actually contributing not only to the solution of African problems, but also not even pitching in African contribution to the annals of world.

The piece is thought provoking if anything, and each one of us has a contribution to make however small.

I should like to read yours.
 
Thanks Kiranga,

Your article is real superb, I enjoyed reading and swimming in your style of writing. The content is also notable.

There is a big problem that surrounding us; the globalize world and false theory that we are in twenty first century have been certain blinded us and suppressed our calibers of free thinking. I asked one member here whether Nyerere was wrong to provide us free education, he failed to give me convinced answer.

Still people are struggling at least to have o-level education, others are thinking of making future leaders!

Let them be in the same stage and power so that they can race towards in these so called future leaders. Barrick is using this chance for earning credibility that is not equitable to what they are supposed to do. That Moshi international school needs fee too!

These social classes that we are intently insolently trying to create in the country like ours are not acceptable. We
 
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