Young Scientists Tanzania Empowers Pupils and Teachers with Innovation Skills

Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) has equipped an impressive 14,766 pupils and 2,394 teachers from schools across the country with the skills and methods to innovate projects that address societal challenges. This remarkable achievement is the result of science outreach programs conducted by YST over the past several years.

Why this matters: By empowering young minds with innovation skills, YST is contributing to the development of a skilled workforce that can tackle Tanzania's pressing challenges, such as climate change and food security. This investment in human capital will have long-term benefits for the country's economic growth and competitiveness.

Since its inception in 2012, YST exhibitions have directly engaged 3,085 pupils and 1,489 teachers. Notably, the participation of girls has increased from 39% in 2012 to 44% currently, demonstrating YST's commitment to promoting gender equality in science and technology. The organization has trained 391 teachers and is currently providing training onscientific methodologiesto 732 pupils.

The impact of YST's efforts is evident in the growing interest and participation in their programs. This year, a record 1,042 project applications have been received, surpassing last year's 979 submissions. The top 55 projects will be showcased at the YST 2024 national exhibition, scheduled for September in Dar es Salaam. These projects span a wide range of categories, including climate change, energy, food production, food safety, and road safety.

Over the past 13 years, YST has awarded university scholarships to 45 pupils to study science and technological innovation. Some of these pupils have taken their innovations to commercialization level, developing projects such as using mobile networks for fire alert systems, utilizing Mbigiri salts as animal feeds, and leveraging the Kivumbasi plant for improving bee keeping.

Dr. Gozbert Kamugisha, YST Co-founder, expressed gratitude to the project sponsors, stating,"I would like to thank the sponsors of the project which has contributed to significantly changing pupils' culture of loving science subjects. "Caren Rowland, executive officer of the Karimjee Jivanjee Foundation (KJF), emphasized that"The strategic collaboration between the foundation and YST was aimed at bringing technological transformation."

Young Scientists Tanzania continues to make significant strides in equipping pupils and teachers with the skills and knowledge needed to drive innovation and address societal challenges. With the upcoming national exhibition in September, the organization is poised to showcase the remarkable achievements of Tanzania's young innovators and inspire the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

• YST equipped 14,766 pupils and 2,394 teachers with innovation skills.
• YST's programs promote gender equality, with 44% female participation.
• Record 1,042 project applications received for YST 2024 national exhibition.
• YST awarded 45 university scholarships for science and technological innovation.
• YST's efforts aim to address Tanzania's challenges, such as climate change and food security.