Dar es Salaam — For the first time since its establishment in 1961, the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA) has celebrated its first bachelor's in Politics and Management of Social Development and in Economics of Development with 47 graduates.

It was initially known as Kivukoni College.

Speaking during the 4th Graduation Dr. John Magotti said this year's graduation was quite different from the previous ones.

According to Magotti, there were about 516 graduates in total in first degree and Certificate programs this year. He added that the number of graduates had increased from 300 in the academic year of 2007/08 to 516 in 2008/09. That was a 72 percent increase.

He added that the number of students, which in 2005/06 was 401, had increased to a total of 1505 students in the academic year 2009/10, an increase of about 275.3 per cent. The increase has been in line with the increase in the number of female students at the college.

For instance in 2009/10, students women were equivalent to 56.9 per cent and male students were 649, equivalent to 43.1 per cent. However, the increase of students in the college was not going hand in hand with the improvement of infrastructure at the college due to lack of funds, Magotti said.

MNMA conducts training in three degree programmes, three diploma programmes and one Certificate programme.

The degree programmes include BA Politics and Management of Social Development, BA Economics of Development and in Gender and Development.

The Academy took-over functions, assets and liabilities of the former Kivukoni Academy of Social Sciences.

It was named after Mwalimu Nyerere in honour and recognition of his contribution as the Father of the Nation and the Founder of Kivukoni College. The guest of honour, twas Mr. Aggrey Mwanri (MP).