Unveiling the first annual report for the BRN initiative which entailed six key result areas, the premier said the education sector has registered a performance of 81 percent beating other areas.

 

The report which was released in Dar es Salaam yesterday ranks the Water sector second in performance at 80 percent, Energy (79 percent), Agriculture (77 percent), Transport (64 percent) and Resources Mobilisation (54 percent).

 

Initiatives of developing the education sector include improving the quality of education in both primary and secondary schools. A total of 4,103 secondary school teachers were trained under a student-teacher enrichment programme (STEP). 

 

The ministry conducted a STEP class for 1, 325 underperforming students during the first year of implementing BRN and nearly 3,000 secondary school headmasters were trained under school improvement toolkit.

 

The report highlighted that the water sector improved access to potable domestic water for rural communities whereas 2.36 million villagers gained access to clean water.

 

“About 193,420 households were connected to electricity, outdoing the ministry’s target to connect 150,000 households,” the report noted.

 

“The transport sector has completed construction of 436 kilometres out of 504 of the Mtwara-Dar-Lindi gas pipeline project. This will ensure sufficient gas is supplied to power plants to generate electricity for domestic and commercial usage,” read the report.

 

Detailing on agriculture and transport sectors, the report outlined that agricultural productivity had increased following a decision to address key bottlenecks in the sector.

 

The report further noted that targets in rice and maize production increased by 166,000 and 500,000 metric tonnes respectively. 

 

“Three newly remanufactured locomotives were commissioned for the railway. At least 134 kilometres of roads missing links have been upgraded to bituminous standard surpassing the target of 42 kilometres… the ministry instituted a 24/7 operating hours at the Dar port as part of its undertakings to unlock the potentials,” established the report.

 

Though the resources mobilisation sector performed the least, its 54 percent performance is weighed on an increment of 455bn/- in revenue collections through taxations, 6.4bn/- through property tax and a collection of 25bn/- in revenues from parastatal contribution.

 

Speaking at the ceremony of launching the report, Pinda said the BRN initiative was implemented according to a 3-year action plan presented to the public in May 2013.

 

“Since independence,” he said, “Tanzanians have always wanted economic development, mainly struggling for improved welfare, peace, unit and security, good governance, a literate society as well as a sustainable economy.”

 

“They eagerly wanted an immediate transformation… this is why we had to adopt the BRN to speed-up attainment of such transformation,” he said.

In addition, Pinda said as the government considers incorporating the health sector in BRN initiatives in July, “all other sectors should adopt the strategy applied by the six sectors to improve performances.”

 

Omari Issa, Chief Executive Officer President’s Delivery Bureau (PDB) said the annual report was verified by Price Waterhouse Coopers and endorsed by a panel of jury headed by Festus Mongae, former President of Botswana.

“Mongae and his team made a recommendation considering that the system is too transparent and requires the society to search for solutions,” he said.