Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi yesterday challenged university graduates to transform their academic qualifications into valuable products and services for the benefit of the country.
“Congratulation for your wonderful performance in class that has earned you those academic papers; the task ahead is to display similar performance in serving the community,” Dr Mwinyi told the Open University of Tanzania’s (OUT) graduates at the varsity’s 40th graduation ceremony at Mao Ze Dong stadium here.
The president said the relevance of the university is determined by its contribution to the country’s development, noting that so far, both the Union and Zanzibar governments acknowledge the great work that OUT performs.
He said the key goal behind the establishment of the university was to widen high education opportunities for Tanzanians through various delivery means, which majority wananchi could afford.
President Mwinyi said the university has during its existence produced highly skilled and competent professionals, most of whom have joined various service and production sectors, contributing immensely to the country’s development.
“OUT existence will make sense if more Tanzanians will through distance learning get access to higher education of the highest quality at affordable costs,” he said, noting that the government has invested heavily in higher education to catalyse social and economic development in the country.
He further challenged the university community to reflect on the outcomes of the training it provides through analysis on the way its scholars can assist the country to move to the middle income economy and invest expertise in helping the country to strengthen all economic sectors and create jobs.
“You are duty-bound to support the country to move from raw material to finished good exporter; these are the key challenges I wish to leave to you, go and work on them because I personally trust OUT graduates,” he said.
Education, Science and Technology Minister Professor Joyce Ndalichako said through the World Bank funded Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project, the government will support the university in construction of seven zonal science laboratories in Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza, Kigoma, Mbeya, Mtwara and Coast regions to facilitate admission of more science students.
She said OUT has three science laboratories—Physics, Chemistry and Biology—at its Kinondoni centre, noting that since they were opened in the 2019/20 academic year, the laboratories have proved to be highly efficient.
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