Rev. Kishoka
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 7, 2006
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From MASATO MASATO in Dodoma, 14th June 2010 Daily News
THE government has defended its secondary education development programme, saying the country was already reaping the 'sweetest fruits' of the programme.
The Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Mr Jumanne Maghembe, debating the 2010/2011 budget proposals by Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mustafa Mkulo, snubbed criticisms against the ward secondary schools, saying the schools have worked wonders.
He cited the 2009 National Form Four examinations, in which out of the candidates who scored between Division One and Three, 50.15 per cent were from the ward schools, saying, it is not a minor achievement.
Professor Maghembe conceded acute shortage of teachers and books, which he, however, described as challenges that the government was strategically poised to address.
He said come next fiscal year the government will allocate each of the public secondary schools in the country with at least five teachers.
Enumerating the achievements that the Fourth Phase Government has attained in the past five years, the minister mentioned increased primary school enrolment from 6.5 million pupils in 2005 to the current 8.4 million pupils.
He further said that the number of secondary schools increased to the current 4,257 from 1,728 in 2005, with the number of students soaring to 1.4 million from 524,000 in 2005.
The minister boasted of University of Dodoma, which he said will be the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa upon completion. He said that during the past five years, the number of university students has increased from 55,129 to over 100,000.
Debating the budget proposals earlier, some members of parliament criticized the ward secondary schools, saying that some of such schools were being run single-handedly by one teacher.
In another development, the government said here on Monday that it plans to add over 900 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by the next two years.
The Minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr William Ngeleja, told the august House that reliable supply of electricity was the government priority. He noted that there is a series of short and long-term programmes underway to boost power supply in the country.
Meanwhile, a Member of Parliament yesterday called for the review of the Public Procurement Act, saying the legislation was counter-productive.
Mr George Simbachawene (Kibakwe-CCM) said the Act was a monster that was not only decelerating the country's development but also increasing procurement costs.
"The Public Procurement Act might be good but it's not appropriate in our environment. We have to review it," the MP charged while debating the 2010/2011 budget proposals by the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Mustafa Mkulo.
He also decried indiscriminate tax exemptions to the mining companies in particular, saying the government was losing substantial amounts of revenue unjustifiably.
"Tax on oil consumed by mining companies offers a potential source of substantial revenue. It is unfortunate that this source has been exempted," charged the legislator. He questioned the logic behind exempting the mining companies while increasing tax on motorcycles.
The Kibakwe lawmaker said the motorcycles have lately eased transportation hurdles in both urban and rural areas, warning that increased tax could turn the otherwise cheap transport means beyond the reach of many people.
Ms Hilda Ngoye (Special seats-CCM) called for repossession of privatized industries whose investors have failed to operate.
She said it was unfair for the private people to own the industries which they have failed to run as agreed in the purchase agreements, thus robbing Tanzanians of their rightful employment and income to the government.
Repossession of dormant privatized industries remains a public outcry, with some of the so-called investors reported to have turned the industries' buildings into godowns for imported products.
THE government has defended its secondary education development programme, saying the country was already reaping the 'sweetest fruits' of the programme.
The Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Mr Jumanne Maghembe, debating the 2010/2011 budget proposals by Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mustafa Mkulo, snubbed criticisms against the ward secondary schools, saying the schools have worked wonders.
He cited the 2009 National Form Four examinations, in which out of the candidates who scored between Division One and Three, 50.15 per cent were from the ward schools, saying, it is not a minor achievement.
Professor Maghembe conceded acute shortage of teachers and books, which he, however, described as challenges that the government was strategically poised to address.
He said come next fiscal year the government will allocate each of the public secondary schools in the country with at least five teachers.
Enumerating the achievements that the Fourth Phase Government has attained in the past five years, the minister mentioned increased primary school enrolment from 6.5 million pupils in 2005 to the current 8.4 million pupils.
He further said that the number of secondary schools increased to the current 4,257 from 1,728 in 2005, with the number of students soaring to 1.4 million from 524,000 in 2005.
The minister boasted of University of Dodoma, which he said will be the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa upon completion. He said that during the past five years, the number of university students has increased from 55,129 to over 100,000.
Debating the budget proposals earlier, some members of parliament criticized the ward secondary schools, saying that some of such schools were being run single-handedly by one teacher.
In another development, the government said here on Monday that it plans to add over 900 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by the next two years.
The Minister for Energy and Minerals, Mr William Ngeleja, told the august House that reliable supply of electricity was the government priority. He noted that there is a series of short and long-term programmes underway to boost power supply in the country.
Meanwhile, a Member of Parliament yesterday called for the review of the Public Procurement Act, saying the legislation was counter-productive.
Mr George Simbachawene (Kibakwe-CCM) said the Act was a monster that was not only decelerating the country's development but also increasing procurement costs.
"The Public Procurement Act might be good but it's not appropriate in our environment. We have to review it," the MP charged while debating the 2010/2011 budget proposals by the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Mustafa Mkulo.
He also decried indiscriminate tax exemptions to the mining companies in particular, saying the government was losing substantial amounts of revenue unjustifiably.
"Tax on oil consumed by mining companies offers a potential source of substantial revenue. It is unfortunate that this source has been exempted," charged the legislator. He questioned the logic behind exempting the mining companies while increasing tax on motorcycles.
The Kibakwe lawmaker said the motorcycles have lately eased transportation hurdles in both urban and rural areas, warning that increased tax could turn the otherwise cheap transport means beyond the reach of many people.
Ms Hilda Ngoye (Special seats-CCM) called for repossession of privatized industries whose investors have failed to operate.
She said it was unfair for the private people to own the industries which they have failed to run as agreed in the purchase agreements, thus robbing Tanzanians of their rightful employment and income to the government.
Repossession of dormant privatized industries remains a public outcry, with some of the so-called investors reported to have turned the industries' buildings into godowns for imported products.