Strike will not bar teachers from census, clarifies govt

Kassim Majaliwa

The government has said that the recent strike will not disqualify teachers from supervising the August 26 Tanzania Population and Housing Census.

This was revealed yesterday by deputy minister Prime Minister’s Officer, Regional Administration and Local government, Kassim Majaliwa when asked to clarify claims that some government authorities were planning to bar teachers from supervising the census exercise.

Through a telephone interview with The Guardian yesterday, Majaliwa confirmed that teachers will participate fully in the processes as planned.

“The government has no plans to bar teachers from supervising the census, nor have they planned so,” said Majaliwa.

The deputy minister said teachers’ demands cannot be linked to the census process because they are two different things. “Teachers’ interests are well known. What they were demanding is for the government to increase their salaries,” he stressed.

He added that because the census was a special activity and will be conducted throughout the country, the government has decided to close schools so that teachers can help the government in carrying out the exercise. 

Majaliwa called upon teachers to support the government during the census. “We have not said only teachers will supervise census, but there are vacancies for those who are interested,” he clarified.

The deputy minister said however that there are many graduates in villages who can be of help in supervising the exercise.

“They are going to collaborate with teachers in monitoring the census,” said Majaliwa.

He said it was the task of regional and district census coordinators to get qualified supervisors of the census.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN