GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of State, President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG) has disbursed 230.85bn/- to the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) for the construction and repair of primary schools infrastructure.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the Head of Communication Unit in the ministry, Nteghenjwa Hosseah the funds were released early in April this year.
Following the delivery of the funds, the Minister for PO-RALG, Angellah Kairuki has directed all the leaders of the Regional Secretariats and LGAs to ensure that criteria, conditions and guidelines for the use of project funds are properly considered in order to have productive projects that meet the criteria and value for money. She said the project is a continuation of "Pay by Results Programme".
Ms Kairuki directed information on the receipt of funds for the construction of infrastructure must be presented to the community benefiting from the projects and ensure the participation of all stakeholders from the regional level to the village/street is strengthened.
She also called on all citizens and the community surrounding the projects to participate fully in the implementation of the projects, including the protection of all property and construction equipment, adding that construction of infrastructure must be completed within 90 days from the date of receiving the funds.
Moreover, the statement said that the fund will be used for construction of 302 new primary schools that will have a total of 604 nursery class rooms, 3, 276 primary classrooms, 302 administrative buildings and 6,160 toilets.
"These funds will also build classrooms in some primary schools that are facing overcrowding of pupils caused by the shortage of classrooms. A total of 2,929 classrooms will be built in various schools with the aim of reducing congestion and creating a friendly learning and teaching environment," the statement noted.
The statement added that along with the new schools that will be built and the construction of classrooms in overcrowded schools, the first phase of funds will be used to rehabilitate eight schools, build 368 nursery classes, 41 classes of children with special needs, two dormitories, 41 teachers' houses and 2,899 toilets.
Particularly, the construction of various infrastructures in first phase will involve 1,338 primary schools.
PO-RALG insisted that the funds received are only for the first year of implementing the World Bank-supported programme 'BOOST project' which is being implemented over a period of five years for 1.15 tri/-, with the aim of strengthening nursery and primary education.
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More than 12 million children in mainland Tanzania will benefit from the programme that aims to make preprimary and primary education better and more accessible across the country.
Primary enrolment in Tanzania increased by more than 2.5 million since 2013.
Mainland now has 12.3 million pupils attending preprimary and primary classes.
The 500 million US dollars BOOST Primary Student Learning Programme for Results that was approved in 2021 by the World Bank Board of Directors will help make Tanzania primary schools safer, more inclusive and child friendly, enhance teachers' subject content knowledge and pedagogical competencies, and strengthen education finance and decentralised service delivery capacity.
The overall goal is to ensure an education system that supports all children, including the most marginalised, to enrol early, develop strong foundational skills, and complete a quality education.
"Tanzania has made important progress in education by expanding access and reducing gender disparity in basic education. Investing in the education of young and vulnerable children, especially girls, is a critical building block to accelerating the country's progress towards inclusive growth, poverty reduction and stronger upward mobility of all Tanzanians," said Mara Warwick, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania.
BOOST which was jointly formulated with the government and other development partners will support the Government's Education Sector Development Plan in the next five years by providing results-based financing to catalyse reforms and implement interventions.
