Industrializing secondary schools in Tanzania through scientific innovations
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Date
2017
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Abstract
There has been a gap between the role played by universities and
industries in improving the quality of science education in Tanzania as there is no
established link between the three parties. The objective of this paper is to analyze
the possible opportunities for industrializing secondary schools by up scaling
scientific innovations using secondary schools, possible challenges and the way
forward. The study has surveyed undergraduate students and instructors teaching
and learning experiences at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and found
out that very few industrial or outdoor practices are integrated with teaching. Also,
University students’ expectations are basically unrealistic as they are less informed
about the way they will apply theoretical perspectives in the field of work. These
observed experiences are rooted in schools where university instructors and
students emanate. Through review of various innovations developed by
universities including SUA, it was established that there are several innovations in
different fields especially in crop cultivation, animal husbandry and natural
resource management that can be introduced and then amplified in secondary
schools as there are unutilized opportunities in such schools. It means, schools can
be turned into industrial centers that can directly and indirectly benefit the
community, production industries and more importantly improve the quality of
science education at all levels as an engine for advancing development of science
and technology. Though there are foreseen challenges in industrializing the schools,
collective efforts of various stakeholders backed with political will can break
through the challenges successfully.
Description
Huria: Journal of the Open University of Tanzania 2017, Vol. 24(2): pp 19-32
Keywords
Secondary schools, Universities, Scientific Innovations, Industrializing