‘Utilise museums, archaeological sites for education, research’

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIANS have been called upon to leverage the wealth of museums and archaeological sites in the country, to enhance formal education and facilitate diverse research endeavors.

The call was made over the weekend by the National Museum of Tanzania (NMT) Director General, Dr Noel Lwoga, during the commemoration of International Museum Day 2024 themed ‘Museums for Education and Research’ held at NMT in Dar es Salaam.

Dr Lwoga emphasised the pivotal role of museums in improving education and research, stressing the need for incorporating museum visits into school curricula to provide students with a tangible understanding of historical events. He highlighted the significance of reevaluating educational materials and research publications to ensure an accurate portrayal of Tanzania’s rich history and heritage.

“For instance, in order to better grasp the history being taught in class, students should visit museums to learn how objects were actually used,” he expressed.

Addressing the importance of integrating museums into both formal and informal education, Dr Lwoga underscored the necessity of nurturing a Tanzanian context in academic studies and research activities.

“As a nation, we should look at how to improve our curricula to recognise the role of museums in education, especially in informal education,” he said.

He added that even in the study of archeology, in order to produce a better publication, it is customary to send objects abroad for analysis, a situation that increases the cost of those studies but also leads to those objects sometimes losing their correct interpretation.

ALSO READ: PS pushes for museums, antiquities marketing

“Now we are giving impetus to our education systems and our research systems in the country to see the best way to manage the translation and development of our research and education so that it can have a Tanzanian context,” he stressed.

He said to support this initiative, the NMT is initiating a project to establish an antiquities research centre in Arusha, aiming to conduct local research and preserve cultural artifacts within the country.

Moreover, Dr Lwoga revealed plans for NMT to establish the Presidents Museum Project in Dodoma, a government-supported endeavor intended to chronicle the nation’s historical journey through the administrations of past and future presidents.

In line with that, he also encouraged individuals, organisations, and private institutions to establish their own museums, an initiative that will help increase the number of museums and showcase Tanzanian identity, history, tradition, and culture to foster national pride and unity.

Dr Luoga also expressed gratitude to the government and international and local partners for allowing NMT to carry out studies and create new archaeological sites, such as the Mikindani, Mafia, Kigamboni, Tendagulu, and Lindi (where the remains of massive dinosaurs have been found).

The commemoration went together with a treeplanting initiative, which was carried out by planting 100 trees at Makumbusho Village and 5 trees at the NMT premises, coordinated by Women in Nature Network (WiNN) and Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), symbolizing a commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability.

TFS Ilala District Forest Conservator, Protas Karia, said the trees planted in NMT and Makumbusho are a continuation of TFS’ efforts to make Tanzania green.

He also emphasized the government’s dedication to forest preservation and environmental conservation, aligned with the president’s advocacy for environmental stewardship. WiNN President Dr Anna Mahulu lauded the collaboration with NMT in promoting the theme ‘Museums for Education and Research,’ emphasizing the profound significance of education, research, and environmental sustainability in shaping a prosperous future for Tanzania.

“That’s why we have brought students to represent the part of the theme of education, but also the exercise of planting something to plant trees is a research act,” she explained.