Media seen as key player in boosting innovation

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian media’s ability to inform, engage and inspire makes it an indispensable tool for driving progress in innovation, science and technology, analysts have said.

This was highlighted yesterday during a media symposium as part of the ‘Innovation Week’ commemoration that is organised by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH).

During a keynote address, Mwananchi Communication Limited’s (MCL) managing director, Mr Bakari Machumu, said efforts to drive innovation must be deliberate and interconnected, involving the media from the outset.

He emphasised the media’s pivotal role in fostering innovation by recognising its national importance, leveraging content creation, promoting initiatives, and forging partnerships to expand journalistic coverage.

“By setting the agenda, creating explainers, producing how-to stories, and profiling discoveries, innovations, and individuals, the media can play a transformative role,” Machumu said

This is the 10th edition of Innovation Week Tanzania, which will include various activities such as exhibitions, workshops, conferences, policy dialogues, product and project launches, virtual events, and radio and TV programmes about innovation, just to mention a few.

Costech’s director general, Dr Amos Nungu, said the symposium kickstarts the innovation week, which will climax on May 24 and run under the theme “Innovation for a Competitive Economy.”.

“Through Innovation Week, we aim to raise awareness and stimulate discussions that are essential for driving innovation,” said Dr Nungu.

The director of science, technology, and innovation from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Mr Ladislaus Mnyone, called for collaboration among stakeholders to drive forward innovation efforts. “One of the measures the government has implemented includes changes to the education policy, whose primary goal is to ensure we produce a workforce that is knowledgeable, skilled, and creative in alignment with not only national but also regional and international goals,” he said.

“We also focus on vocational training to ensure we produce young people who are not only employable but also capable of self-employment and employing others,” he added.

Mr Mnyone said the foundation of changes in science and technology stems from the right human resources.

“Thus, if you look at the new policy and curriculum that we have been working on, they aim to build human resources that will bring about positive changes in science and technology,” he said.