With the inauguration of the Centre of Competence in Digital Education (C-CoDE), Tanzania is expected to become a digital hub within the East African Community (EAC).
It is dedicated to supporting the transformation of training and education practices through digital tools and technologies in Tanzania and the EAC region.
Addressing the inauguration of the centre on Monday, the Director General of Science, Technology and Innovation at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Professor Ladslaus Mnyone, highlighted the role of the facility in advancing education services in Tanzania.
He said embracing technology and responding to rapid technological advances has a significant impact on both professional and personal experiences.
He insisted: "We must prioritise the digital education agenda to empower learners while taking care to address the potential negative impact of ICT in the learning process."
Prof Mnyone equally asked stakeholders in the ICT sector to develop a national strategic plan in science, technology and innovation to enhance digital literacy in Tanzania.
"Despite our differences; our common desire to provide opportunities to address socio-economic challenges will drive us forward," he said.
Earlier, NM-AIST Vice Chancellor Professor Maulilio Kipanyula noted that the centre was then a physical structure and said it would serve as a research centre that would inspire the next generation of learners and provide them with invaluable tools and knowledge to address pressing societal issues issues.
Prof Kipanyula said the facility would endeavour to take digital literacy to greater heights by providing learners with authentic knowledge through cutting edge digital facilities.
"In an increasingly technology-driven world, digital education knows no boundaries," he observed.
A total of 44 applications were submitted from 19 countries, but NM-AIST's proposal sailed through and was announced as one of the six universities to benefit from the programme.
The centre becomes the fifth centre of excellence hosted by NM-AIST, following the Centre for Research Advancement, Excellence in Teaching and Sustainability in Food and Nutritional Security (CREATES-FNS), the Centre of Excellence in ICT for East Africa (CENIT@EA), the Data Driven Innovation Incubation Centre (DDI Incubation Centre), and the Water Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy for the Future (WISE-Future). Futures (WISE-Futures).
