FUTURE AFRICAN SCIETISTS

FIFTY FUTURE SCIENTISTS BEGIN CLASSES

Fifty Postgraduate science students, the future African Scientists in the making,  have started their academic studies at the African Institute for Mathematics (AIMS) at Bagamoyo.

The students arrived last week and have begun their studies at the Alfa Zulu complex, a huge four storey building a few meters facing the Indian Ocean. The students are from thirteen African countries, including Tanzania. Tanzania is fifth country to accommodate AIMS and the next country to get such an institute will be Rwanda.

The Rector of the institute, by qualification a Professor of Mathematics, Mark Roberts said that nine Tutors from Cameroun, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and United Kingdom  will be arriving at Bagamoyo to give their tutorial lectures in their field of speciality.  Seven academic operational staff will be part of the management of this institute which aim at producing high level African Scientists.  AIMS  has, so far, produced over 731  scientists in 41  African countries.

More information: Initially, the African Union and AIMS signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening the teaching and learning of science, technology, mathematics and engineering on African Continent. The MoU was signed in Ethiopia. As a result sometime in 2003, the first country to benefit was South Africa as a Pan African Centre.

A lecturer from South Africa and the United States, qualified in computer field,  are  expected shortly at Bagamoyo. They  will join hands with Mark Roberts to conduct lessons on computers to suit the academic studies.

The Postgraduate  Science Students are from Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Democratic Re[public of Congo, Burundi, Mozambique, Ghana, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania.

During the coming days, AIMS in conjunction with Ifakara  Health Institute and the cultural college TASUBA will organize themselves in public engagement activities. The common platform will be a sort of a club under the name of Bagamoyo Science Engagement Club.

More information: The old historical German Boma was planned to accomodate AIMS but despite slow renovation work, it still stands with lots of works pending. This was the headquarters from where the German ruled over the then  Tanganyika and Bagamoyo was given the status of Capital due to its importance in the 19th century. Later when Tanganyika became trust territory under the British, the same BOMA was also used as a Government Office. And after Tanganyika achieved independence in 1961, the office of the Bagamoyo District Commissioner was located in this complex. Extensive renovations were made, time and again.

 

Story & Pictures by Abdul Hai

Bagamoyo News