Govt commends religious institutions for investment in social services

18Jan 2024
The Guardian Reporter
MBEYA
News
The Guardian
Govt commends religious institutions for investment in social services

THE government says it recognizes and appreciates the contribution of religious institutions in providing social services in the country.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa (R) unveils plaque in Mbeya city yesterday to launch Mbeya Catholic University College, witnessed by the chancellor, Tanzania Episcopal Conference president Archbishop Gervas Nyaisonga (L), and Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, Archbishop Emeritus of Dar es Salaam. Photo: Guardian Correspondent

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said this yesterday when officiating at the opening of Catholic University College of Mbeya (CUCoM) which is affiliated to the Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT).

 

He said investments made faith-based organisations I education, health, water and social welfare complements the government’s efforts in providing the same services to the people.

 

The PM said that the government has allocated 48bn/- for providing loans to diploma level students in the academic year 2023/2024

 

He said that the programme, which is the vision and instruction of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, aimed at ensuring that education provided is better and enables college graduates in the country to be confident and able to compete nationally and internationally.

 “Another goal of President Samia is to see many young people get an education that gives them the skills and ability to participate in nation-building” he said.

 

Majaliwa said that the government has allocated USD1 million through the Higher Education for Economic Transformation Project (HEET) which is educating 27 lecturers from private universities.

 

He added that the funds will, among others, be used to pay for seven lecturers at the Master's degree level and 20 at the PhD level for health and allied sciences programmes.

 

“Through this programme, the government has reached private universities. This shows the sincere commitment of our government to enable the private sector fully participate in the provision of education at all levels,” he said.

 

This is due to the fact that the government recognizes and appreciates the big contribution made by the private sector in the provision of education from pre to higher education."

 

Majaliwa called on private colleges and universities to set a strategic plan to increase the number of academicians especially professors, senior lecturers and lecturers in the areas covered by the programme.

 

Bishop John Ndimbo, CUCoM council board chairman, thanked the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) for seeing the importance of giving the college a university status after fulfilling all the set conditions.

 

Dr Franklin Rwezimula, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Education, Science and Technology, commended the Catholic Church for its massive investment in education sector.

 

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