ZANZIBAR Finance and Planning Minister Mohamed Ramia Abdiwawa signed at the weekend a $13.5m agreement with Sidi Ould Tah Director-General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (Badea) in Khartoum, Sudan, to support the construction of three new modern schools.
According to an official agreement, the Z Zanzibar government will contribute $1.5m and the project includes the construction of storey buildings for the new schools in Mjini-Magharib Region, Kusini- Unguja R egion and South Pemba Region.
“We are thankful to Badea for the financial support at the time of implementing our programme of improving education in the country,” said Mr Abdiwawa.
The planned schools are additional to two schools, Mohamed Juma Pindua Secondary School in Pemba and Kibuteni Secondary School in Unguja, which are also financed by Badea.
Senior officers from Union government ministries (Finance and Foreign Affairs) were present because the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania mentions external borrowing and trade as among the 22 matters that fall under the Union and the Union government has to guarantee such agreements.
Zanzibar has also built 21 new schools in different areas through support from the World Bank. However, some schools have been mentioned in the House of Representatives’ special committee report that some were constructed below standard and far from value for money.
