Supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the project which will run until 2027 is set to benefit teachers and pupils in various schools in the country.
Speaking during the launch event in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Dr Doto Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister said investing in skills development for teachers who work in a conducive environment is important for the provision of quality education.
He said the grant has been provided by GPE through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
The DPM said the launch programme symbolises shared commitment to empowering teachers, improving gender equality, fostering inclusion, and enhancing schools’ overall teaching and learning environment in the country.
“To transform basic education for improved inclusive pupil-centred teaching for quality learning, improvements should be realized in teachers’ workforce planning and management,” he said.
He said that through the programme, a number of modern teachers’ houses will be constructed in the peripheral regions while also improving the teaching and learning environment.
He said due to various efforts made by the government and stakeholders, the number of pupils joining secondary education has continued to increase.
He, however, said the government alone cannot achieve this due to changes in science and technology as well as global market demand, adding that more well-skilled graduates are needed to serve in various development sectors.
He said in efforts to transform education, the government has continued to increase annual budget allocation from 4.5tri/- of 2022/23 financial year to 5.7tri/- in 2023/24 financial year.
He said the sixth phase government has also provided employment to 37,473 teachers as well as promoting a total of 227,383 teachers.
In his remarks, GPE chairman and former President Jakaya Kikwete commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her vision that has led to a major transformation in education in the country.
He said that GPE is there to ensure that no child is left behind in accessing quality education regardless of their status.
He said the government in collaboration with stakeholders need to continue investing efforts to ensure that children have learning equipment including books, desks and other tools.
Kikwete seemed delighted to witness how the efforts started many years ago, including during his tenure, are paying off.
He however said that despite strides made to improve education, there is still a good number of children who are not in school due to various reasons with others also still learning in an unpleasant environment.
“Let us put our efforts together to ensure that our children receive quality education with essential skills to enable them participate in the country’s development once they graduate,” he said.
He said that since its establishment, GPE has invested $6 billion to improve education systems in Africa.
Kikwete said that GPE has supported Tanzania by printing 180566 books, constructing 29,080 classrooms in primary schools as well as 300 model classrooms for early childhood education.
He said that reports show that 240 million children in developing countries are out if school where 100 million are in Africa, a situation which calls for more efforts to help address the challenges.
Minister for Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda said the programme will involve construction of teachers’ houses, improve motivation for teachers, establishment of electronic system for teachers’ and teacher deployment that consider gender.
The programme will also facilitate construction of teachers resource centres (TRCs) to allow teachers to be active participants in their professional development and to join communities to share teaching and assessment strategies with their peers.
Ambassador of Sweden to Tanzania Charlotta Ozaki Macias expressed commitment to supporting Tanzania in the effective implementation of the programme.
She said education plays a vital role in development across the world.
“For Tanzania to realize its socio-economic development, investing in quality education is inevitable and this should go along with creating a conducive teaching and learning environment,” she said.
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