Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER for Education, Science and technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure that every child accesses secondary education.
Speaking at the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) over the weekend, Prof Ndalichako thanked the UN organisation for the technical and financial support to the education sector.
She expressed the government’s commitment to ensure the children are protected and get education to at least secondary level.
One of the steps taken to achieve that was a decision to introduce the free education policy to enable children access secondary education, particularly those from poor families.
Prof Ndalichako said the government decision to re-admit the school dropouts is also one of the measures to attain the goal.
However, she said, the government has a number of strategies whereas the dropouts can as well be re-enrolled for adult education and informal education strategies to ensure they complete secondary education.
During the event occasioned by the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, the government also assured to have in place the needed infrastructures for conducive teaching and learning environments.
Prof Ndalichako said the Unicef has been supportive in the initiation of Memkwa project, for the dropouts between 9 to 18 years since 1999.
She said the project has been a success as majority of those under the programme were re-admitted in the formal education system in ordinary secondary schools and advanced secondary school.
On her part, UNICEF country representative, Ms Shalini Bahuguna, commended the government’s move in ensuring that all children acquire education.
She expressed the commitment in supporting the government to ensure that every child in the country has access to quality education.
For this to happen, she said, children need to be ready to learn, teachers prepared to teach, and schools enabled to provide quality education for all.
“The government has ambition for improving education opportunities for children” she insisted.
UNICEF’s support includes providing assistance to formulate, implement and monitor sound and equitable policies, lay strong foundations for early childhood education, and improve the quality of primary education.
UNICEF works with the government to ensure that the vulnerable children and adolescents are enrolled in school and complete their education.
She said UNICEF advocates for the implementation of policies that address the causes of exclusion, especially for girls and children with disabilities, and the removal of unnecessary costs, such as uniforms and books that keep children from the poorest families out of school.
UNICEF also helps to develop the skills of teachers to support vulnerable children and create alternative learning opportunities that appeal to students who are unable to remain in school.
Increased capacity to provide inclusive education and ensure access to basic education for the most vulnerable.
“The president has been empowering RUWASA in efforts to make sure that water woes in the country are eliminated in all districts including Bahi District,’’ said Mr Aweso.
Earlier, Bahi District Commissioner, Mwanahamisi Munkunda said through RUWASA over 52per cent of 17 villages in Bahi District which has population of 270,000 people were accessing clean and safe water.
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