He made the remarks when debating a report by the ministry of Education, Science and Technology which delved on how to improve the performance of education in the country.
Prof Muhongo, a former don of the University of Dar es Salaam, said there was no choice as to whether or not Tanzania should invest in education.
"All over the world, countries have advanced because of education. We should invest in education which promotes innovation," he pointed out.
The earth science don said the way Costech operated was not conducive for advancement of science and technology, which are critically needed to take Tanzania to another level.
Costech, also known as the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, was established in 1986 specifically to advance scientific research in allied sectors.
In recent years, its mandate has extended to innovation, a critical component of science and technology for industrial development.
Among the Commission's activities are issuing research permits for institutions and scientific experts from within and outside the country.
While innovation within the context of the Commission's activities is focused on engineering, other research areas range from medical to wildlife and basic sciences.
In carrying out its duties, Costech works collaboratively with a host of research and higher learning institutions across the country.
They include the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), University of Dodoma (UDOM), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (Muhas).
Others include Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Open University of Tanzania (OUT), the Tanzania Engineering and Mechanical Design Organization (Temdo) and dozens of others.
The report tabled before the Parliament was categorical that Costech should be supported with adequate resources to carry out its mandate effectively.
"Science and technology and research and development (R & D) are critical for socio-economic development of our country," the report said.
According to the report, Costech received Sh73.6 billion from the state coffers for a period of five years from 2018/19-2022/23.
About Sh50 billion of the kitty was for research and development while some Sh22.7 billion of the total budget was for recurrent expenditure.
However, according to the report, out of Sh73.6 billion, only Sh56.4 billion was received by the Commission from the Treasury.
The decreased funds impacted on the research projects in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, health,energy and tourism, among other sectors.
