Dodoma — THE Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP) is in this financial year (2022/23) plans to put up major campus at Dodoma's Nala area in the outskirts of the country's capital, as it is also putting up a 3.5bn/- modern library at its Mwanza Campus.
The plans were unveiled here on Friday by IRDP's Rector, Professor Hozen Mayaya when outlining key priorities that the institute wants to implement in this financial year.
He further pointed out that after realizing that the Dodoma campus was now overwhelmed by the number of students, considering the fact that it was in the country's capital, his institution had already secured 636 hectares of land where it plans to construct another campus that will have the capacity to accommodate many students pursuing development planning studies.
"So far, we have already paid compensation amounting to 1.8bn/- to people who will be relocated to pave the way for the construction of the new buildings," he noted.
According to Prof Mayaya, the new library at the Mwanza campus, which upon completion will have three storeys is expected to be constructed by using local internal revenue collections.
IRDP was established in 1979 as a corporate body for provision of training, research and consultancy services in the field of rural development planning and management with the main objective of alleviating qualitative and quantitative shortage of skilled manpower within the framework of sustainable capacity building directed towards reducing poverty and attaining sustainable development.
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The Institute strives to enhance and strengthen capacity for rural development practitioners by providing post-secondary education and training, research and consultancy services IRDP is thus a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral institute empowered to oversee and coordinate the provision of expertise to in-service and pre-service personnel involved in rural development planning in the country.
Prof Mayaya said among other priorities set for 2022/23 fiscal year, his institute was determined to increase admission of students from the current 14,417 to about 16,663, as well as intensifying research and heightening consultancy services.
"We will continue reviewing curriculums for long term training as well as preparing new curriculums as well as improving training infrastructures," he added.
Prof Mayaya further informed that IRDP would continue hiring new staff as well as offering promotions and improving their stipends. He also said that the institute was expecting to offer capacity building training to 396 employees in this financial year.
According to him, as of June 2022, about 351 employees had received short-term training while 50 others were still receiving long-term training inside and outside the country.
Prof Mayaya added that so far, about 9bn/- had been spent in the implementation of various infrastructure projects, whereas 5bn/- were spent in constructing three lecture theatres and two hostels for female students.
