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`Promise on construction of labs in community schools still stands`
2008-05-07 09:17:27
By Lydia Shekighenda
The government has reiterated that labs construction in all community built-secondary schools is one among its top responsibilities, a move that is geared to relieve people of contributing the little money they have in carrying out the task.
Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training Gaudensia Kabaka told `The Guardian` yesterday in an exclusive interview.
Kabaka said construction of labs in secondary schools was among the responsibilities of the government, but added that ``it cannot build all of them at a go.``
She added that the government was also responsible for providing lab equipment and chemicals.
``If we say that the government will build labs in all schools we will not be saying the truth. What we can do is to identify a few schools and as the process goes on all schools will have labs,`` she said.
She said the government plan is that each school should have a laboratory to encourage more students to pursue science subjects.
``Community built-secondary schools are government schools thus they are also included in the plans to have labs,`` Kabaka said.
She explained that the central government is responsible for funding the construction of labs in the community built-secondary schools.
``So far the government is responsible for construction of labs in community built-secondary schools, if a need for people to contribute will arise, that will be a new arrangement,`` Kabaka said.
Last week President Jakaya Kikwete stressed the need for community built-secondary schools to have labs as one way of increasing the number of scientists in the country.
Kikwete, who was on an official tour in Singida Region, said that the government plan to build secondary schools in every ward has succeeded, but despite the achievement, the country was facing shortage of scientists.
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