AS the government strives to end shortage of textbooks in schools, the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, has unveiled a 100m/- e-book project to address the problem.
Addressing Nganana and Nambala villagers in Arumeru District, Arusha Region during the launch of the Nganana E-Reader Project, the Premier urged users of the devices to preserve them properly.
“I am told that one gadget can store up to 2,000 books and hence can be used as a ‘mobile or electronic library.’ Through this project there are 300 gadgets each with 100 books, where in this country will you find a school which can give 100 books to its students?” the PM queried amid cheers from the crowd.
Mr Pinda said he was optimistic that the e-books would go long way in enabling pupils in primary schools in the two villages to expand their knowledge and exposure.
“I hail the brains behind this project since e-books have a longer life span compared to paper books which can easily get torn,” he praised.
Mr Pinda also hailed US-based World Reader Organisation through its Director, Mr David Risher, for conducting a fundraiser to purchase 200 e-books and enable the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology(NM-AIST) to have 300 e-books.
Mr Risher said he was pushed to introduce the project after visiting a library in the country and found that it was filled with obsolete books. “Since my childhood my mother had a habit of leaving me at a library as she went to work, she would afterwards pick me from the library. Since then I developed a habit of reading books,” he said. The Minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Prof Makame Mbarawa, earlier said the project was designed by the Nelson Mandela Institute in a bid to stimulate the reading culture.
The Vice Chancellor of NM-AIST, Prof Burton Mwamila, said the project was designed to address shortage of books in schools. Some 29 teachers have already been trained on how to use the gadgets and started directing students on their usage.
By DailyNews
