Tanzania: RC - We Must Fight Against School Absenteeism

Dodoma — Dodoma Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule has urged council secretariats, ward and village executive officers, and ward education officers to intensify efforts to curb school absenteeism.

Speaking during a working visit to Bahi District, Ms Senyamule emphasised the responsibility of parents and guardians to ensure children report to school on time, particularly at the start of the academic term, and to take proactive measures to address absenteeism.

She directed the revival of an anti-absenteeism campaign launched two years ago, which requires school heads to submit weekly attendance reports every Friday to ward and village leaders to help track pupils who miss classes.

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"The foundation of our national mission is to eradicate ignorance and expand knowledge. We cannot produce a generation that cannot read or write due to parental negligence. This directive must be enforced decisively," she said, adding that parents who fail to meet their responsibilities should face action in accordance with education regulations.

Bahi District Commissioner Joachim Nyingo said the district has already engaged leaders from ward to village levels to develop strategies aimed at strengthening enrolment and eliminating absenteeism.

Meanwhile, Mpamatwa Secondary School Headteacher Sulus Muganda commended the near completion of the Mpamatwa Primary School construction project, describing it as one of the most modern schools in the district. She said the project is 99 per cent complete and is expected to be ready for use from January 13, 2026.

The visit also highlighted the importance of environmental conservation through treeplanting initiatives in schools and residential areas, alongside ongoing campaigns such as My Tree, My Birthday and Green Dodoma.

During the visit, the Regional Commissioner inspected school infrastructure and held discussions with council, ward and village leaders to ensure effective implementation of the directives.

Read the original article on Daily News.