AfricaPress-Tanzania: SOME Mkuyuni residents in Morogoro District on Tuesday received building materials worth 25m/-from NMB bank that would assist them towards the construction of schools’ classrooms, teachers’ houses and health centers’ more rooms.
Receiving the items at Mkuyuni Primary School on their behalf, Ministry of Agriculture Deputy Minister, Omary Mgumba said that villagers also have a responsibility to work and own community projects initiated in their midst.
Mr Mgumba further said there are challenges in the health and education sector, which require concerted efforts of all stakeholders to address, instead of being solely left in the hands of the government.
“Villagers can also initiate a project as the government knows that there are challenges in all sectors, but it is also the responsibility of the residents to minimize some by starting building classrooms especially in the education sector on their own,” he added.
On his part, Acting Morogoro District Council Primary Education Officer, Salim Samboka acknowledging shortages of classrooms and desks in the area schools, cited Mkuyuni that has over 900 pupils studying in nine classrooms against envisioned 20 and forcing them to cram in the ones they have.
“However, I applaud NMB bank for the support in terms of iron sheets, timber and nails they have provided and would assist us to build three classrooms and relieve several students competing for a space in one room,” said Mr Samboka.
He further said that last year the bank also assisted Kibwaya and Mfumbwe Primary Schools with 100 iron sheets in every institution and what remained was their heads to supervise and mobilize the residents to come out and contribute manpower in the classrooms constructions.
Handing over the materials, NMB bank East Zone Manager, Baraka Ladislaus, said his financial institution within 12 months now has donated building materials also for health centers, all worth 25m/-in the council.
Mr Ladislaus said in Morogoro Region last year, they donated items worth 140m/- towards improving facilities in the health and education sector.
“Besides the 25m/-items we have donated today (yesterday) to Mkuyuni, NMB bank has been contributing much in the education sectors especially by purchasing desks and beds with their mattresses for hospitals. Today (yesterday), we have donated 200 iron sheets for Kibwaya Dispensary estimated as 5m/-. We have also donated another 110 iron sheets and 29 kg of nails all valued at 5m/-for Mkuyuni Primary School,” he pointed out.
