TANZANIA SHINES IN EDUCATION INVESTMENT THROUGH DOMESTIC RESOURCES





📌 Dr. Biteko says research shows quality education contributes 20–30% to economic growth


📌 Africa will need 17 million primary and secondary school teachers by 2030


📌 Education budget has increased by TZS 1.44 trillion since 2020/21


By the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy


Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Hon. Dr. Doto Biteko, has said that Tanzania is among the countries that have made significant progress in utilizing domestic resources and investing in the education sector for sustainable development.


He made these remarks on September 24, 2025, in Dar es Salaam while opening the Fifth International Conference on Quality Education, held under the theme “Strengthening Systems and Investments: Advancing Domestic Resource Mobilization for Inclusive, Quality, and Sustainable Education in Africa.”


Dr. Biteko outlined the measures taken by the Government, including the formulation and improvement of education policies, laws, and guidelines, as well as increasing the education budget from TZS 4.72 trillion in the 2020/2021 fiscal year to TZS 6.16 trillion in the 2024/2025 fiscal year.


He noted that this budget increase has improved education infrastructure and learning environments for sustainable development. The Government has also expanded the scope of the Free Education Policy to include secondary education, with allocations increasing from TZS 312.08 billion in 2020 to TZS 796.58 billion in 2024—an increase of TZS 484 billion.


“This increase has helped to reduce financial challenges that previously hindered the education sector, thereby raising the number of beneficiaries of free education from 14,940,925 students in 2020 to 16,155,282 students in 2024,” said Dr. Biteko.


He added, “Despite these achievements, the Government continues to implement various strategies in collaboration with development partners to address other challenges facing the education sector for sustainable growth.”


He urged stakeholders at the conference to align with this year’s theme in order to meet international commitments of allocating 20% of national budgets to education sector development.


Furthermore, he stressed that if Africa invests in quality education, it will be able to address the shortage of qualified teachers, especially in rural areas. By 2030, the continent will require 17 million teachers to ensure quality primary and secondary education and to build strong digital education systems to address existing challenges and adapt to changing environments.


According to the 2025 studies by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), quality education contributes, on average, 20–30% to a nation’s long-term economic growth. The same studies also indicate that a person with higher education earns between 50–100% more than someone without such qualifications.


For his part, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation responsible for East African Community Affairs, Hon. Dennis Londo, said that mobilizing both financial and human resources can enhance the quality of education and reduce sectoral challenges when done in partnership with stakeholders.


Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Carolyne Nombo, stated that the conference aims to improve the education sector in the country and emphasized that her Ministry is tasked with ensuring that the education provided meets international standards.


“This conference has come at the right time as the Government continues to invest financial resources, and the discussions here will help in mobilizing resources to bring about transformative changes in the education system,” said Prof. Nombo.


The Regional Manager of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Belay Addise, expressed pride in the strong partnership between the organization and the Government of Tanzania since 2013. Through this partnership, Tanzania has received approximately USD 348 million via agencies such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA) to implement education projects.


The Coordinator of the Tanzania Education Network, Martha Makala, thanked the Government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, along with both domestic and international education stakeholders, for making the conference possible. She noted that the presence of policymakers at the conference will ensure that discussions are impactful and yield positive results for the education sector.


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