Upgrading of Colleges Into Universities
Questioned
By Finnigan Wa Simbeye
7 September 2011
GOVERNMENT decision to upgrade the former
Ardhi Institute, Mbeya Technical College and other similar colleges into
universities has deprived the country of sources of well trained technicians,
resulting into acute shortage of the skills in the local market.
According to retired Permanent Secretary,
Engineer Nirei Msimbira, the move to change Ardhi Institute that used to train
competent professional architects, surveyors and other technicians into a
full-fledged university has badly affected the country as graduate engineers are
not that competent.
"While serving as Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Water there was a lot of pressure to transform Ardhi Institute into
a university and later I witnessed similar pressure to upgrade the Tanzania
School of Journalism into the university when with the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting," noted Engineer Msimbira.
He pointed out that the wind of change
targeting to increase the number of universities and graduates later extended to
other colleges, which used to train competent technicians who assisted engineers
in practical implementation of projects.
He was commenting on a key note address
delivered by Professor Awadh Mawenya who described the poor state of
professional engineers in the country.
Prof Mawenya, a retired University of Dar es
Salaam engineering lecturer, said 53 per cent of the country's engineers are not
professionally registered. "I visited one site on the ongoing roads projects and
did not find any local graduate engineer," Prof Mawenya, who is also Director of
Design Partners of Dar es Salaam, said.
Responding to Eng Msimbira's observations,
immediate retired University of Dar es Salaam Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mathew
Luhanga said the decision to change Ardhi Institute to university and Tanzania
School of Journalism (TSJ) into Institute of Journalism and Mass Communications
was meant to address growing needs of the economy now.
"Engineers are problem savers and not makers ,
Ardhi Institute produces very few technicians to meet the country's needs and
that's why we made the decision," argued Prof Luhanga, saying the Ardhi
University has since its establishment more than doubled the number of
graduates.
He also argued that the decision to transform
TSJ into IJMC was meant to accommodate growing media needs to nourish democratic
reforms. "We say no research, no right to speak, don't just condemn us without
first finding out why we did that," charged Prof Luhanga.
Participants called on the government to
revive in-house training of graduate engineers at parastatals such as Tanzania
Electric Supply Company, Tanzania Railways Limited, Tanzania Ports Authority and
others to groom them into full professional engineers
Evangelist
Frank Mwakasisi, Ph.D.
Founder and
President
Mighty Outreach
International - "Helping Churches Reach More People for
Christ"
PO Box
1655
Portage, MI
49081
USA
Phone: (269)
321-9900
