UN agencies in drive to support education for Tanzanian schoolgirls

UN agencies have teamed up tosupport 14,000 Tanzanian schoolgirls and young women in a new 5million U.S. dollars project for quality education.

The project is part of the GlobalInitiative by United Nations Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (UNESCO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)and UN Women for the Empowerment of Girls through education,launched in six countries around the world.

Leonard Akwilapo, Tanzania'sPermanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science andTechnology said on Tuesday that the four-year project will beimplemented in five districts of Ngorongoro in Arusha Region,Kasulu in Kigoma, Sengerema in Mwanza and Micheweni and Mkoani inPemba.

He said that the project is aimedat facilitating girls to realize their educational dreams and havethe opportunity to develop their full potential to becomefully-fledged citizens.

Zulmira Rodriguez, UNESCORepresentative, noted that the project becomes a new solution totackle early illiteracy in a setting that lacks enough humanresources and infrastructure to provide quality education.

"The project intends to support theefforts of the ministry to provide quality education to all and toempower and pay attention to those who are still lagging behind,especially girls and young women," she said

Rodriguez further noted that theneeds of out of school girls and mothers will be addressed, henceavailing them of a second chance to further developmentthrough.

Hashina Begum, UNFPA's countryRepresentative, called upon the government and stakeholders toensure that more maternal health education and awareness isprovided to youth, including those in remote areas. Endit