The attaches will be responsible for the welfare of Tanzanian students studying abroad and in promoting education.
“It is the responsibility of the ambassadors to protect Tanzanian students studying abroad regardless of their education sponsorship,” the President said.
He gave the directive last Saturday evening when speaking to leaders of Tanzanian students currently studying in Algeria’s higher learning institutions. Currently, there are about 370 Tanzanian students in the Maghreb nation.
Kikwete was in Algeria for a three-day official state visit at the invitation of the Algeria President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. He is leading a delegation which includes, among others, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe.
The President pointed out that Tanzania has many students undertaking studies in different parts of the world. He said the students require the assistance of their country’s representative on various matters and therefore they deserve to be attended whenever they are in need.
“We must have education attachés to attend to student affairs … I have been asked on this same issue by students studying in other countries,” President Kikwete said, insisting that it is the responsibility of the country’s envoys to take care of Tanzanians living, studying and working overseas even those who have entered the countries through illegal routes.
Cases of Tanzanian students studying abroad facing serious problems, which sometimes result in cutting short their studies for failure to get immediate assistance, have been rampant in the past. This has been so irrespective of whether Tanzania has got an embassy office or the country has no representation.
The President also said it was a wise decision to establish ward secondary schools because before then, only 6 per cent of primary school leavers could join secondary education. Most ward secondary schools were built in 2005.
When constructed, he said, the schools came with a lot of challenges such as shortage of desks, chairs, textbooks and teachers. However, with time, the situation has improved to an extent that they can now compete with private and other government schools, he added.
“We decided to construct secondary schools at every ward to help our children … you can imagine how many children were staying at home as only six percent had a chance to continue with education,” he said, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that education being provided is quality.
Kikwete noted that in last years’ National Form Four Examination results, the top three schools in Kilimanjaro Region were ward secondary schools all from Mwanga District.
Before the end of November last year President Kikwete ordered all municipal councils to ensure that they construct laboratories for each ward secondary school.
In December last year, he extended the deadline giving regional and district leaders a six-month lean-to to make sure that they complete the work.
The programme to build laboratories in each secondary school was adopted by the government as a way of promoting science subjects among students.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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