COSTECH commends Tanzanian students’ remarkable innovation in science and technology
DAR ES SALAAM: PRIMARY and Secondary School students have demonstrated remarkable innovation in science and technology, highlighting Tanzania’s growing potential to nurture a generation capable of using technology to address societal challenges, the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) has said.
Speaking during a visit to a students’ innovation exhibition, COSTECH Director of Knowledge Management, Samson Mwela, said the young innovators had developed practical technological solutions to real-life challenges.
Among the projects showcased were a technology-driven traffic management system designed to reduce congestion at road intersections and a Smart Parking system that alerts motorists through light signals as they approach available parking spaces.
The students also demonstrated the use of 3D printing technology to produce various items, including a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy, reflecting the growing adoption of advanced technologies at the basic education level.
Mwela said that despite being in primary and secondary schools, many students are already learning computer programming, equipping them with skills that will support the implementation of Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050 and the Education Policy, which emphasizes practical and skills-based learning.
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Meanwhile, Tanzania Community Director Baraka Yusuf Jacobo Magiri said the organisation is partnering with the government to strengthen technology education from the school level by providing training to both teachers and students.
He said the initiative aims to equip teachers with modern digital teaching methods, reducing reliance on traditional chalk-and-board instruction.
Magiri also underscored the importance of integrating coding, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the national education curriculum to prepare students with skills that match the demands of the rapidly evolving digital world.
He further called on the government to invest more in modern teaching facilities, including smart boards and other digital learning tools, to create a more conducive environment for technology-based education.
Senior teacher at Tegeta A Primary School in Goba Ward, Ubungo Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Upendo Mwandingha, said the exhibition had provided students with an opportunity to learn from one another, inspire creativity and strengthen the use of technology in solving everyday problems.
She noted that bringing together students from different schools to showcase and exchange innovative ideas motivates them to expand their knowledge, nurture their talents and build stronger competencies in science, technology and innovation.
