ELCT
Press Release
Date:
March 21, 2010
Press release No. 003/03/2010
Josia
Kibira University to be inaugurated to mark centenary
by Franziska
Sommer
The North-Western Diocese (NWD) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) plans to establish another constituent college of Tumaini University that will be known as the Josiah Kibira University College (JoKUCo).
Josiah Kibira University
[(c) 2010 ELCT Image/ NWD-JoKUCo]
This University College will be formed by transforming the Bukoba Lutheran Teachers? College (BLTC) which is located near Nyakato Secondary School about 9 km North of Bukoba Municipality in North-Western Tanzania on the shores of Lake Victoria.
It is planned that JoKUCo will be inaugurated in June 2010 when the North Western Diocese (NWD) will be celebrating its Centenary of Christianity in Kagera Region.
The aim of establishing the University College is to address the demand for higher education in the country following the increasing number of secondary schools in Tanzania plus the demand of those who want to further their education.
Moreover, the university college will create chances for employment and markets for agricultural and industrial goods in the region and the country at large. Since there is no campus of the university in the Kagera region, many people who want to achieve university education will be able to get a chance of study without incurring much expense on transport.
However, students from outside the Kagera region will have an opportunity of enjoying the culture and climate of Bukoba, the situation that will encourage intercultural relations in the country.
The Josiah Kibira University College expects to begin with the following courses: Certificate in Education (Teachers Grade III /A), Diploma in Education, Diploma in Information Technology (IT), Bachelor of Education (Arts), Bachelor of Education (Science), Bachelor of Education (Mathematics) and Bachelor of Business
The focus on education aims at preparing teachers for primary and secondary schools since the country lacks teachers. The program of Bachelor of Education (Science) will specifically address the need for science teachers who are greatly needed in the country for scientific and technological development.
On the other hand while the infrastructure found at the former BLTC exists, there is a great need of improving and expanding the infrastructure in order to meet the standards of a university.
There is a need of adding more classes, installing the internet, putting books in the library, building a computer room, adding computers, laptops, etc. Businessmen are encouraged to build hostels and shops near the site of the proposed JoKUCo so that students may be able to get the needed services.
All Tanzanians and people from abroad are invited to support the establishment of the university college bearing in mind that all the people will benefit from JoKUCo regardless of religion, ethnic group, race, etc. In this case, the establishment of JoKUCo will participate in the development of Kagera region and the country at large, since education leads to development at various levels of life.
When the Josiah Kibira Universtiy opens it will bring to seven the number of constituent colleges of Tumaini University owned by the ELCT. Other branches are Makumira University College in Arusha Region, Iringa University College (Iringa), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Kilimanjaro), Dar es Salaam University College (Dar es Salaam), Sebastian Kolowa University College (Tanga) and Stefano Moshi Memorial University College (also in Kilimanjaro Region).
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Elizabeth Lobulu
Communication Coordinator,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Box 3033, ARUSHA, Tanzania.
Phone: +255-27-250-8856/7
FAX: +255-27-254-8858
E-mail: Elizabeth Lobulu <ELobulu@elct.or.tz>
For more information contact:
Elizabeth
Lobulu
Communication Desk Officer, ELCT
E-mail: ELobulu@elct.or.tz