THE SOCIAL SERVICES CRISIS OF THE 1990S
First published 1998 by Ashgate Publishing
Reissued 2018 by Routledge
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Copyright Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka 1998
In association with Convocation, University of Dar es Salaam
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The Convocation of the University of Dar es Salaam is an assembly of the graduates of the University of Dar es Salaam and serves as a link between graduates, academic staff and the University. In some Universities this link is known as alumni and in others it is known as the Convocation. The University of Dar es Salaam Act of 1970 (Act No. 12 of 1970) under S.42 establishes the Convocation of the University of Dar es Salaam. The Convocation members are: (a) the Vice Chancellor; (b) the Chief Academic Officer; (c) all members of the academic staff; (d) all graduates of the University of Dar es Salaam and of the former University of East Africa ordinarily resident in Tanzania; (e) all other Tanzanian graduates normally resident in Tanzania; (f) such other persons as may be appointed by the Chancellor.
The officers of the Convocation are: (i) the President, he/she is elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), holds office for three years and is eligible for re-election; (ii) the Secretary of Convocation, this position goes automatically to the Chief Administrative Officer of the University of Dar es Salaam by virtue of S.45 (1) of the 1970 Act; and (iii) the Honorary Treasurer, he/she is elected at the AGM and serves for three years. The meetings of the Convocation are presided over by the President and in his/her absence the members of the Convocation elect a temporary Chairman.
The main aims and objectives of the Convocation are: (i) to provide the members of the Convocation with a common forum for the furtherance of the objectives and functions of the University; (ii) to meet and discuss any matters within the sphere of competence of the University and make recommendations to the University Governing Authorities. Subject to the Provisions of the University of Dar es Salaam Act the Convocation may regulate its own proceedings and other activities.
Since 1990 the Convocation has instituted policy dialogue seminars with the government. The seminar on, The Crisis of Social Service Delivery in Tanzania and Strategies for More Sustainable Systems in the 1990s, held on the 3rd to 4th April, 1991, was the second of the series.
As part of its continuing efforts to maintain a dialogue with Government on Tanzanias socio-economic problems, the Convocation of the University of Dar es Salam held a two-day seminar on 3-4 April, 1991, to discuss more closely the crisis of social services delivery in the country and to formulate strategies for their sustainable improvement. The aim of the seminar was to underscore heightened public concern on the continued deterioration of social services in Tanzania since the onset of the economic crisis; to examine the effect of structural adjustment policies and measures on health, education, water, food security, housing and social welfare services; to make specific recommendations and proposals for the Government and other interested development agencies on how to improve delivery and sustainability of social services and also to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the University of Dar es Salaam.
The Second Convocation Seminar was attended by 201 participants from 13 regions of Tanzania including the City of Dar-es-Salaam, as well as representatives of donor agencies and diplomatic missions. Eleven papers on selected topics and the same number of position papers from the regions were presented. The Seminar was opened by the then Chancellor of the University of Dar-es-Salaam and President of the United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency, Ali Hassan Mwinyi. Key Ministers and senior government officials also attended. The key-note address was presented by the then Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission and Minister of State (Presidents Office), the late Professor Kighoma A. Malima. The closing address was given by the late Honourable Horace Kolimba, MP., then Secretary-General of the ruling Party CCM, and himself a graduate of the University. Space in this book does not allowed the full reproduction of their speeches. Instead a summary of the main points raised in official statements by the dignitaries is presented below.
Address by the President of the Convocation
In my address to the seminar I reiterated what I had said earlier at the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Convocation in August 1989, namely, the obvious crisis of the Tanzanian Welfare State and challenged the Convocation to hold a Seminar to address the crisis. I had pointed out then that at a time when the governments steadfast commitment to the provision of free social services had suffered serious setbacks in the face of a debilitating economic crisis, a free public service dependency syndrome had, in turn, entrenched itself in the social structure of the nation. That dependency syndrome had given birth to mass demands and expectations which defy the governments capacity to meet them. I pointed out that the crisis of the Welfare State was worsening and that I was personally gratified that the Convocation had responded to my call by organising the Seminar which would seriously traverse the whole terrain of the Tanzanian social service system and, in good time, bring a report of findings and recommendations to the President.
Address by the Chairman of the University Council
In his address, Mr. Al Noor Kassum noted that it was the first time during the last ten years that the University had the President of the country personally address a seminar to discuss an issue of great importance and significance to all the people of Tanzania. He said that act would set off a series of events which would gradually help remove some of the social evils that Tanzanians suffer from. Mr. Kassum reiterated that the seminar would not have been possible had it not been for the active and constant intellectual assistance that the University had received over the last thirty years from the Nordic countries. He said that the Nordic countries had been the backbone of the university in many respects and hoped that over the next few years, whilst the activities of the University were being revitalised, they would continue to show the support that they had given in the past and that others would emulate their style in giving the kind of assistance required to attain standards of performance befitting the premier university of Tanzania.
