PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday issued a three-month ultimatum to Mwanakwerekwe educational resource centre project\u2019s contractors to complete the job, accusing some government leaders of shielding sluggish project executors.<\/p>\n
\u201cProject delays deny wananchi an opportunity to benefit from public investments in social and economic projects, delays are a serious problem to the country\u2019s development,\u201d charged Dr Magufuli after laying the foundation stone for Mwanakwerekwe Secondary School.<\/p>\n
He prohibited public leaders from defending underperforming contractors.<\/p>\n
Briefing the president on the World Bank\u2019s Zanzibar Improving Students Prospects (ZISP) funded project, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Dr Idris Muslim Hija, said the construction works were earlier scheduled for completion last August but it was delayed \u201cdue to sand scarcity and rains.\u201d<\/p>\n
The claim seemingly irked the Union leader, prompting him to issue the March deadline.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want the contractor to complete this building before March 30, 2020. And, I will keenly follow it up, personally,\u201d ordered President Magufuli.<\/p>\n
He further fumed, \u201cPermanent secretary, it should be forbidden for you to protect lazy contractors.\u00a0If they have given you 10 per cent, take it but remain firm to ensure adherence to the rules and regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Magufuli challenged Zanzibar leaders to work hard to ensure that the huge investment in educational infrastructure is reflected on the quality of education and students\u2019 performance in examinations.<\/p>\n
He described it as shameful to have Zanzibar schools always trailing in the national examinations by the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe beauty of these buildings should be reflected in the academic performance of our students. It\u2019s shameful to always have Zanzibar schools at the bottom in examination results, we must change,\u201d he told hundreds of residents who braced the heavy downpour that pounded Kwerekwe suburb.<\/p>\n
He warned Zanzibaris against being too lenient to their children, challenging them to strictly supervise the studying of their children.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not be too lenient, we should limit freedom to our children, they should study hard and succeed instead of being mere ushers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Education and Vocational Training Minister Riziki Pembe Juma said ZISP project, which aims at improving the quality of instruction, learning environment and performance especially in Science, Mathematics and English subjects, is being implemented in both Unguja and Pemba Islands.<\/p>\n
But, she said Zanzibar\u2019s most populous Urban West Region has five out of the nine centres under the project.<\/p>\n
The 35 million US dollars (about 80bn\/-) loan from the World Bank is funding the project and Dr Magufuli challenged Zanzibaris and all Tanzanians to work hard and generate sufficient revenues to repay the loans.<\/p>\n
Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Zanzibar and Union ministers as well as members of Zanzibar House of Representatives were among the dignitaries at the event, which constituted a series of activities preceding the 56th Zanzibar revolution anniversary celebrations, which climaxes at Amani stadium this morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday issued a three-month ultimatum to Mwanakwerekwe educational resource centre project\u2019s contractors to complete the job, accusing some government leaders of shielding sluggish project executors. \u201cProject delays deny wananchi an opportunity to benefit from public investments in social and economic projects, delays are a serious problem to the country\u2019s development,\u201d charged Dr […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,8,12],"tags":[24,1213,1214],"class_list":["post-1832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-homepage-english","category-policy","tag-john-magufuli","tag-mwanakwerekwe","tag-riziki-pembe-juma"],"yoast_head":"\n