360 students to take part in science exhibitions in Sept

Young Scientist Tanzania Director Dr Kamugisha Gozibert

 
At least 360 secondary students from 160 schools in Tanzania are scheduled to meet in Dar es Salaam in September where they are going to showcase their scientific researches.
The exhibitions will be sponsored by Young Scientist Tanzania (YST).

The students will present exciting projects from different categories of science, biological and ecological, physics and chemical, social and behavioural studies and technology.

This was revealed yesterday in Dar es Salaam by Young Scientist Tanzania Director Dr Kamugisha Gozibert at a news conference.

He said a two-day exhibition will be held on September 18 and 19, in Dar es Salaam and will cost not less than USD400,000.

“YST gives young secondary school students an opportunity to demonstrate that science, technology and engineering are not only interesting and exciting but also easy subjects to do,” he said.

Dr Gozibert said the exhibition will generate greater awareness and appreciation of science and technology among members of the general public as well as provide students with the opportunity to participate in scientific learning congregations away from the classroom to explore the unlimited potential of science.

He said the overall winners will be given a top cash prize, laptops, a computer lab for their school and trip to Ireland in January 2014 to attend the European young scientists’ exhibition. The runner up will win trophies, a cash prize and a computer lab for their school.

However, he said the project has proved to be a successful one as it provides a platform for young secondary school students to come together to investigate theories, discover new technologies and advance current knowledge through fun research and innovation.

Additionally, he said from the last year’s exhibition experience, the students have started showing great interest in choosing scientific research and innovation; teachers have realised the potential of the exhibition to promote teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools.

Dr Gozibert urged those who wish to participate in the exhibition to come up with projects which should not be necessarily be done in laboratories but locally and without any cost.

Science teacher Nsia Shoo from Jamhuri Secondary School in Dar es Salaam applauded YST’s decision to arrange training for them saying it will improve their teaching skills in science subjects as well as know the ability of their students in such subjects.

“My school is one of those which participated in the competition last year, despite the lack of laboratory, it successfully created projects which didn’t involve laboratory tools...,” she said.

Shoo called upon other schools facing the same challenge of lack of laboratory to not fear but promptly apply for the chance to participate before May 30, which is the deadline for receiving the applications.

This years’ exhibition will be a continuation of that conducted in October last year, whereby the overall winner was Kibosho Girls’ Secondary School which won a wonderful trip to Dublin and Ireland.

YALIYOJIRI MAGAZETINI

Jumanne, April 30, 2013

Open University Ilala regional centre to put up stationery, cut costs

In the aftermath of price hiking for printing of study materials for students in the distance learning mode with the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), the Ilala regional centre students’ body has teamed up to establish a stationery to provide affordable printing services.
Unlike at the moment, students are compelled to seek such services at exorbitant rates in city stationeries for students seeking printouts of study materials issued by the university in soft copy.
The centre is raising funds from well wishers including academicians from within and outside the university to help capitalize the shop, enabling students to get printing services and buy stationeries at lower price.

YALIYOJIRI MAGAZETINI

Jumatatu, April 29, 2013

4bn/- allocated for construction of vocational training colleges

 Deputy Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Philipo Mulugo

A total of 4bn/- has been allocated for construction of five Vocational Training Colleges in Ludewa, Namtumbo, Kilindi, Ukerewe and Chunya districts in the next fiscal year.

Deputy Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Philipo Mulugo revealed this here yesterday when responding to a question raised by Saning’o Ole Telele (Ngorongoro, CCM), who wanted to know the reason as to why the government is dillydallying in fulfilling its promises of building Vocational Training Colleges in every district across the country.

YALIYOJIRI MAGAZETINI APRIL 27, 2013

JUMAMOSI, APRIL 27, 2013

Muhas to hold first international scientific conference next month

 Muhas Vice Chancellor, Prof Ephata Kaaya

The Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (Muhas) will hold its first three day international scientific conference beginning May 2, with the aim of exchanging research findings among various researchers in Tanzania and from around the world.

Muhas Vice Chancellor Prof Ephata Kaaya revealed this in Dar es Salaam yesterday; saying the most important thing will be to inform the Tanzanian community about the findings from the current and past health researches that have been conducted by the university and other researchers.

According to him, during the conference which will be attended by 300 participants from across the world, various researchers will present a total of 144 scientific research papers whereas the findings will be translated into policy and practice.

Prof Kaaya said the findings will also be linked with addressing health related Millennium Development Goals, emerging major health challenges and crises on health human resources. 


“The main purpose of the conference will be to share, inform, learn and exchange research findings among various researchers from Tanzania and around the world so that people can learn from them,” he said.

He said presentations will range from; malaria management and control, health care financing, child and reproductive health, HIV vaccine trials, surveillance, ART therapy and its challenges, cancer screening and management.

Other are behavioural change communication and its challenges, disease and surveillance of drug resistance, health systems research including human resources for health challenges and quality of care, environmental degradation and conservation, nutritional disorders and enhancing professional medical practice.

The conference will be held in Dar es Salaam, under the theme “Health research towards poverty alleviation”. The theme has been deliberately chosen to emphasise the need of health research in solving communities’ health problems.

Prof Kaaya said the researches will lead to better delivery of health care, implementation of evidence based policies and best practices and supports as well as to facilitate the transfer of new skills and technology for better health services. 

“As we all know, healthy population will inevitable lead into a more productive society that will eventually alleviate poverty,” he added.

Muhas as a health training institution was established in 1963 as a Dar es Salaam School of Medicine whereas the first Muhas scientific conference has therefore coincided with a series of activities to commemorate 50 years of its existence as well as the 50 years anniversary of the African Unity.

On February this year, Muhas was ranked the best university in the country by University Ranking Academic Performance (URAP) Centre due to the number of researches it has published hence became the first in Tanzania and the third in East Africa.

Other national universities that were ranked behind Muhas included the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) as second and third respectively.

Teachers finally paid 52bn/- in salary arrears

 Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa

At last the government has paid 52bn/- as salary arrears that were formally claimed by primary and secondary school teachers in the country.

Minister for Education and Vocational Training Dr Shukuru Kawambwa said this in the House yesterday as he was responding to a supplementary question by Christowaja Mtinda (Special Seats, Chadema).

In her question, Mtinda had claimed that the government has failed to pay salary arrears to the tune of 27bn/- it owed primary and secondary school teachers.

Additionally, the lawmaker had also called for government explanation on the whereabouts of 500,000/- approved by the House last year as hardship allowances for teachers working in remote areas.

According to the legislator the money was spent on other activities in the ministry instead of those approved activity by the House.

In reaction, the minister said “until January this year, the government had already paid salary arrears it owed teachers.”

Dr Kawambwa said however that, following the evaluation that was undertaken between the Tanzania Teachers Union (TTU) and government officials, it was revealed that the government has a debt amounting to 52bn/- instead of the previous 29bn/-.

Following the government commitments, he said, the ministry has initiated different channels to acquire money to pay-back the debt.

In his view, the minister said introduction of the Human Management Information System will act as a solution to the long-term problem of salary arrears that the government had been facing.

Explaining on the 500,000/- hard ship allowance, the minister said, the government successfully obtained the amount from donors last year.

He said while implementing the strategy, the ministry faced stiff oppositions from doctors, nurses and pharmacists, among others working in the similar environment as to why they were not listed.

“So, we had to advise the donors that the money be spent in other areas while the government sorts out the complaints…that’s why the amount was used contrary to the set requirements,” he said. 

MAGAZETI

ALHAMISI, APRIL 25, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE

STUDENTS ATTACK TEACHER, DESTROY PROPERTY OVER SUPERSTITION

A teacher at Mizengo Pinda Secondary School in Kibaoni Ward, Mlele District in Katavi Region, Mr Boniface Nsalamba (35) cheated death after being attacked by his own students over superstition.

The irate students, armed with traditional weapons including stones and pieces of bricks, also damaged Mr Nsambala's house and that of the school headmaster, Mr Alico Kamyoge (36).

The Acting Katavi Regional Police Commander, Mr Joseph Myovela, said the incident occurred last Sunday and that preliminary investigations showed that superstitious beliefs were to blame. It happened when one of the students suddenly began to behave strangely, claiming to have been possessed by evil spirits, accusing two teachers at the school of commanding a league of 'bad spirits' to attack him.

MAGAZETI

JUMATANO APRIL 24, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE

3,800 WAKOSA MIKOPO KUSOMA ELIMU YA JUU

Jumla ya wanafunzi 3,821 waliokuwa na sifa ya kupata mikopo katika elimu ya juu, hawakupata mikopo hiyo na hivyo kushindwa kuendelea na masomo yao, Bunge lilielezwa jana.

Naibu Waziri wa Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi, Philip Mulugo aitoa kauli hiyo jana alipokuwa akijibu maswali bungeni.

Alisema wanafunzi waliokosa mikopo ni asilimia 11.1 ya wanafunzi wote walioomba mikopo ambao walikuwa 37,315 kwa mwaka 2012/13.

“Hata hivyo, baada ya uchambuzi kwa wanafunzi 37,315 walioomba mikopo hiyo, wanafunzi waliobainika kuwa na sifa ya kupewa mikopo ni 34,140 lakini waliopata mikopo hiyo ni wanafunzi 30,319 sawa na asilimia 88.9 ya wanafunzi wote waliostahili kupewa mikopo hiyo,” alisema Mulugo.

MAGAZETI

JUMANNE APRIL 23, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE

WALIMU SHULE ZA JESHI WANOLEWA

WALIMU 150 wa shule za sekondari za jeshi, wamepatiwa mafunzo na mbinu mpya za ufundishaji ili kukabiliana na kushuka kwa kiwango cha ufaulu kwa wanafunzi nchini.

Mkuu wa Shule ya Sekondari ya Jitegemee JKT, Luteni Kanali Martin Mkisi akizungumza kwenye semina hiyo, alisema mafunzo hayo ni muhimu kwa walimu hao.

Alisema ni semina ya kuwajengea uwezo walimu katika ufundishaji kufuatia mtaala mpya ambao unaelekeza mwanafunzi mwenyewe ajieleze uelewa wake kwa kile alichojifunza. 

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES PLANS TWO ILLUSTRATED SCIENCE DICTIONARIES

 Prof. Esther Mwaikambo, the TAAS president

The Tanzania Academy of Sciences (TAAS) is devising a project to develop and disseminate two illustrated Kiswahili science dictionaries for primary and secondary schools in order to increase interest and incentive use of science in the society.

Prof. Esther Mwaikambo, the TAAS president, said in an interview that the project is intended to make young people understand the importance of studying science, which would help them to be more innovative in future. Many students do not enjoy reading science subjects because of their limited vocabulary to figure out the objects behind the terms, she said.

TAAS will for the next five years seek to ease the adoption, adaptation and use of scientific knowledge and applications in poverty reduction efforts and wealth creation at homestead level, particularly in the areas of agriculture and health.

MAGAZETI

JUMATATU APRIL 22, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE

EUROPEAN TOURISTS DONATE TO SCHOOL

By Adams Ihucha,
The Citizen Correspondent
Ngorongoro.

European holidaymakers have donated desks, chairs and tables worth over Sh 6 million to Ilimisigiyo Primary School in Ngorongoro in appreciation of the community’s conservation efforts.

The support included 60 desks to cater for 180 pupils, five teachers’ tables and chairs.

The group of European holidaymakers from Europe-based Petroleum Company - AS 24 - said they have been impressed by the Maasai’s efforts in conserving the wildlife and environment surrounding their communities and so they decided to do something on education.

“We are impressed by the Maasai indigenous conservation knowledge and we feel that we need to do something on education as a way of saying thank you to their efforts,” says chairman of AS 24 Company, Mr Brumo Daude Lagrave.

MAGAZETI

APRIL 18, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE

WANAFUNZI 20 WANUSURIKA KIFO

WANAFUNZI zaidi ya 20 wa Shule ya Kimataifa ya St. Charles iliyopo Don Bosco katika Manispaa ya Iringa wamenusurika kifo baada ya gari waliyokuwa wamepanda namba T415 AEG kushindwa kupanda mlima na kupinduka.  

Ajali hiyo ilitokea jana katika eneo la Msikiti wa Hidaya uliopo Kata ya Mvinjeni katikati ya mji wa Iringa. 

Baadhi ya mashuhuda walisema daladala hiyo ilikuwa ikitokea eneo la Frelimo katika Manispaa ya Iringa kwenda mjini Iringa.

MAGAZETI

APRIL 17, 2013

KURASA ZA MBELE ZA MAGAZETI 

WHEN LUXURY IS GIVEN PRIORITY ABOVE EDUCATION

About fifteen years ago, the electronic media aired a story about a sick man who was sent to hospital in Mbeya. After diagnosis, the doctor asked him to pay 2000/- so that treatment could start.

The man had 2400/- in his pocket but declined to pay for his treatment, saying he had already planned to spend the money on something else. Nevertheless, he wanted to get treatment but insisted his brothers should pay the 2000/- the doctor had asked for. His brothers were indignant, so the man died on the following day, with his 2400/-.
If his brothers had been more sympathetic and paid for his medical expenses, he might have lived to spend his 2400/- as he had planned to. He might have wanted to spend it to build his family’s future, which would have been a good idea, entertained at the wrong time; but he might have planned to spend it on booze after recovery, which is stupidity per se, for him to think he could spend his money on luxury and someone else to pay for his needs.

ILEJE YATUMIA SH 35.8 MIL VIFAA MAABARA

Mwenyekiti wa Mfuko wa Fursa sawa Kwa Wote(EOTF),Anna Mkapa (wa pili kushoto), akitazama  bidhaa zinazotengenezwa na kikundi cha Engiterata Sidai, kilichopo Wilayani Arumeru, Mkoani Arusha, alipokitembelea juzi.

Ileje. Halmashauri ya Wilaya ya Ileje imetumia kiasi Sh35.8 milioni kwa ajili ya ununuzi wa vifaa vya maabara rafiki ili kuondokana na tatizo lililokuwa linawakabili katika mafunzo ya vitendo kwa masomo ya Sayansi.

Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Ileje, Rosemary Senyamule aliyasema hayo wakati wa makabidhiano ya maabara hizo na Kampuni ya Mlenterprises (LTD), na kuongeza kuwa tatizo la wanafunzi kusoma bila mafunzo ya vitendo litapungua.

Senyamle aliongeza kuwa halmashauri hiyo inaishukuru serikali kwa kuweza kuwapatia fedha hizo kwa kuwa imesaidia kuondokana na tatizo ambalo lilikuwa linaikumba wilaya hiyo kwa muda mrefu.

PICHA: MWANANCHI

MAGAZETI

APRIL 16, 2013
KURASA ZA MBELE ZA MAGAZETI

KURASA ZA MICHEZO