Sunday, July 26, 2009

Stink right under the president's nose!

You know how it is with dogs in the manger. When they are given food they eat voraciously, then take a nap. When another doggie approaches for some of the grub, the dog in the manger barks viciously and chases it away. Familiar, eh? Choyo is the Swahili word for it.

It goes that, I have eaten my fill, had enough, but you cannot have some of the chow. And I feel cool about such callous selfishness. Well there are such psychological types in the Ministry of Public Service Management in the Office of the President. Right under the Prez, Jack Mrisho’s nose!

When legions of our young fellows are desperate for school there are loads of free scholarships offered by a number of countries, which have long traditions of co-operation with Tanzania. The offers are gathering dust or are being used to wrap chapattis in the offices of the ministry.

The Indian government has offered 80 scholarships. The grateful Tanzania government is busy twiddling its thumbs and has ignored them.

The head of the Education Department at the Indian High Commission, Ms Gloria Paul, has said that of the 120 fully-sponsored scholarships only 42 had been filled. I frankly think someone should be thrown into jail for this blatant sabotage of our country. Right under the president’s nose!

“I am surprised that Tanzanians do not apply for such opportunities which are offered free of charge. The embassy provides free tickets to and from India, accommodation and other living expenses, but many Tanzanians do not want to take them up,” said Ms Paul.

Wrong Ms Paul. It’s not that Tanzanians do not want to take them up. It is just because of the dog-in-the-manger attitude in the ministry. I can’t go, so you can’t go!

Of course most scholarships are awarded to relatives and friends. And, there is no hiding this; most scholarships are actually sold to those with money. That has long been the tradition. But this time this is plain sabotage. Education is liberation. So of you block education for Tanzanian you are colonizing them mentally!

Ms Paul has said that lack of awareness and qualification may be a factor in the low qualification may be a factor in the low application for scholarships.

I don’t agree. There are dozens of very qualified young kids roaming around. Previously the courses were made available through the embassies responsible but the Tanzanian Government directed that all offers be channeled through the ministry.

Which has been a disaster! I wonder if the ministry should be there at all, in the first place. The ministry is being manned with such selfish guys devoid of an iota of patriotism. For heaven’s sake, take those kids to school. You guys sound like man-eating ogres! Uchoyo gani huooo-o-o-o?

No comments: