Dar in classroom crisis, says Makonda

Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda.

What you need to know:

  • Despite shortage of 622 classrooms, the Regional Commissioner for Dar es Salaam, Mr Paul Makonda, has ordered that all students who passed their Primary School Leaving Examinations and are supposed to join secondary education in the region, must do so or risk being arrested.
  • In the same vein, Mr Makonda said in February this year, his office will issue an official statement, detailing how and when businesses will be allowed to operate for 24 hours every day.

Dar es Salaam. The city is in crisis as it lacks 622 classrooms enough to accommodate 31,092 out of 64,861 new secondary school students.

Amid this crisis, regional commissioner Paul Makonda yesterday issued an order that all selected students must go to school even if it means having more students in one classroom than the ideal number of 50.

Addressing the press, Mr Makonda said any student who would not go to school would face legal action.

Last year, a total of 70,303 students in the city sat for the primary school leaving national examinations, whereby 64,861, that is, 92 per cent, were selected to join secondary education.

“The high number of students who passed has created this challenge,” he said.

He said, “Our plans to tackle the problem include using own funds and those from the government so as to build the classrooms needed so that no child would be left behind in attaining his or her education.”

He also ordered pupils who missed writing their primary school leaving national examinations last year due to various reasons including absenteeism to do so in this year.

Meanwhile, Mr Makonda said come February, his office would issue a declaration to allow businesses to operate for 24 hours.

He said his office was yet to meet with the business community to discuss the terms.

“There there are issues that need to be worked on first like security lights and cameras,” he said.

He also said the authorities were currently improving Coco Beach, and already a total of Sh11.9 billion has been requested from the central government.

Mr Makonda said the move was aimed at boosting tourism in the city.

He added that, “Coco beach will be renovated to accommodate all budgets--high class, middle and low class.”