Tanzania approach to achieve full digitalisation gains pace
DAR ES SALAAM: THE government’s all-inclusive approach to achieving full digitalisation is gaining momentum as public secondary school teachers are equipped with essential Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills to accelerate this transition.
On Monday, the Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Jerry Silaa, launched a five-day workshop aimed at providing 300 teachers from rural public secondary schools with ICT skills.
This initiative is part of efforts to strengthen their efficiency and bridge the digital divide in the country.
“Providing ICT training to teachers in rural public secondary schools is essential for enhancing education quality, fostering equity and preparing students for a technology-driven world,” he said.
During the launch ceremony in Dar es Salaam, Mr Silaa emphasised that the workshop would enable teachers to explore basic ICT skills, including how to effectively use tablets and computers to enhance teaching and learning. The training will also cover fundamental troubleshooting skills and is set to conclude on October 11 this year.
The workshop, sponsored by the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF), is being conducted simultaneously at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), the University of Dodoma (UDOM) and Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), with each institution accommodating 100 teachers.
“We believe that teachers are agents of positive change in the country. By equipping them with ICT skills, they can return to their schools, educate students and promote digitalisation within their communities,” Mr Silaa stated.
He added that the government, under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, is committed to bridging the digital divide and fostering a digital economy by providing teachers with real-time ICT skills.
Mr Silaa noted that the teachers participating in the workshop were selected from various regions, particularly from rural public secondary schools that face challenges in accessing ICT equipment and the internet.
To address these issues, the government, through UCSAF, has been supplying rural schools with ICT equipment, including computers, projectors and printers, enabling selected teachers to cultivate the skills needed to use these technologies effectively.
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Since its inception, UCSAF has supplied ICT equipment to 1,210 schools and has also provided tablets to teachers. Importantly, UCSAF has trained 3,506 teachers nationwide.
This initiative aligns with the ruling CCM’s Election Manifesto for 2020-2025, which envisions ensuring that every secondary school in the country has access to computers and internet services to improve learning and enhance the quality of education.
To further strengthen communication services in rural areas, Mr Silaa announced that the government is currently constructing 758 communication towers in 1,407 villages across the country, which, upon completion, will benefit approximately 4.5 million people.
UCSAF Managing Director Engineer Peter Mwasalyanda said that 98 per cent of Tanzanians, including rural residents, now have access to communication services, compared to only 45 per cent in 2006, prior to UCSAF’s establishment.
On the topic of fostering digital learning, Eng Mwasalyanda stated that UCSAF is working to ensure all public rural schools are equipped with the necessary ICT tools and connected to internet services.
Ms Rahel Benito, a teacher from Nguelo Secondary School and a participant in the DIT workshop, expressed her gratitude to the government for organising this capacity-building programme, stating that it will significantly enhance teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom through the use of ICT.
