Sustainable development in the water sector may not be realised without having enough experts in the country, Minister for Water and Irrigation, Eng Gerson Lwenge has acknowledged.
Eng Lwenge noted that the sector was still facing insufficient number of experts, particularly at the level of technicians. He gave the remarks while officiating over the launch of the board of directors of Water Development and Management Institute (WDMI).
He said that in ensuring that the country produces more experts, the ministry in collaboration with the President’s Office-Public Service Management had decided to change the institute to become the government’s agency in a bid to give it autonomy in running the trainings.
Eng Lwenge expressed his trust that the new board will positively contribute in helping the institute increase the number of skilled people as a way of addressing the current shortage. “The issue of having the best experts is pivotal in any society that desires development.
And water development programme cannot be sustainable if we don’t have sufficient number of skilled labour,” he said. He further said the assessment conducted by the ministry in 2014/15 indicates that the country requires an additional 6,200 technicians.
Meanwhile, Eng Lwenge urged students at the institute to adhere to discipline during and after studies. Prof Felix Mtalo will be chairing the new board whose members are Dr Shija Kazumba, Dr Ethel Kasembe, Dr Joyce Nyoni, Ms Amina Mafuru and Dr Lunogelo Bohera.
Prof Mtalo pointed out that the institute was facing a shortage of classrooms and dormitories after it had increased enrolment.
He said before the institute became an agency in 2008, it was serving only 200, but thereafter the number kept increasing to the current number of 1922 while the capacity of dormitories was to accommodate only 700 students, forcing over 1000 students to seek shelter outside the college premises.
He told the minister that lack of enough laboratories was another daunting challenge when it comes to practical learning for students, thus making the institute incur extra costs by sending the students to Tanga region for practical field.
Rector of the Institute, Dr Shija Kazumba, gave thumbs up to the government for extending a helping hand to the institute in repairing and constructing new buildings for the laboratories.
