Overview of the Country

Background:

Official name: United Republic of Tanzania 1
Capital: Dodoma 1
Location: Eastern Africa 1
Official language: English 1
National language: 1 (Swahili) 1
Population: 67,438,106 (2023) 2
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) : US$ 79.16 Billion (2023) 3
GNI per capita, PPP (current international) : US$ 3,900 (2023) 3
Membership of Regional Economic Community (REC) : East African Community (EAC)

Additional resources:

Sources:

  1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation
  2. Population Data Portal
  3. World Bank

Critical Sector Strategic Priorities in Education in Tanzania Mainland include: 1

  • Universal Basic Education
  • Expansion of TVET
  • Equitable Access
  • Improvement of Education Quality
  • Resource Allocation and Management
  • Monitoring and Evaluation

Critical Sector Strategic Priorities in Education in Zanzibar include: 2

  • Access to Quality Education
  • Improvement of Learning Outcomes
  • Quality Assurance
  • Infrastructure Development
  • Teacher Training and Deployment
  • Institutional Reform and Leadership
  • Inclusive Education
  • Education Financing

Governance Structure for Education:

  • The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST - Tanzania) has the responsibility of managing and coordinating the provision of Education in the country by preparing various policies, laws and guidelines from the level of primary education to higher education. In addition, the Ministry is responsible for managing and coordinating the development of Science, Technology and Innovation; along with its use in various fields including business, industry, and agriculture.
  • The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT - Zanzibar) is responsible for developing and implementing educational policies, ensuring quality education, promoting vocational training, and managing educational infrastructure to enhance access and equity across the region.
  • The National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET - Tanzania Mainland) coordinates and regulates the provision of technical and vocational education and training.

Education System Structure:

The education system structure for Tanzania Mainland is structured into three main parts: 1

  • Formal education includes pre-primary to university levels, organized into a 1-7-4-2-3+ system, providing 12 years of compulsory basic education. 
  • Professional training covers teacher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). 
  • Adult education offers alternative learning paths for literacy and vocational skills.

The education system structure for Zanzibar includes the following: 2

  • Pre-primary education: it has a duration of 2years, and it is for ages from 4-5 years. Language of instruction is Kiswahili.
  • Primary education: it is for 6 years and for ages 6-11 years. It is compulsory and language of instruction is Kiswahili with a transition to English for Mathematics and Science from standard 5. Students take the Standard 6 Exam at the end of this phase.
  • Secondary education: There is ordinary secondary (forms 1-4) and advanced secondary (forms 5-6). The former is for 4 years, and the latter is for 2 years. Form 6 Exam, which qualifies students for higher education.
  • Higher Education: these are universities and colleges that offer undergraduate, diploma, and advanced degrees.

Additionally, there is inclusive education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

Additional resources:

Sources:

  1. Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Tanzania. Education sector development plan (2016/17 – 2020/21). Tanzania Mainland
  2. Zanzibar (Tanzania UR). Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Zanzibar. (2017). Zanzibar Education Development Plan II 2017/2018–2021/2022
 School age population 1Gros enrolment ratio 1Completion rate 2Out-of-school rate 2
Pre-primary1,973,434 (2023)xN/AN/A
Primary12,279,467 (2023)95.51% (2022)68.34% (2019)14.98% (2021)
Lower secondary6,142,171 (2023)37.69% (2021)23.55% (2019)50.51% (2021)
Upper secondary2,782,193 (2023)5.94% (2021)11.50 % (2019)83.60% (2021)

Additional resources:

Sources: 

  1. UIS Data
  2. UIS SDG4 Data

Proportion of children and young people achieving at least a minimum proficiency level by sex: 1

 ReadingMathematics
In grades 2/3xx
At the end of primary47.80% (2013)6.39% (2013)
At the end of lower secondaryxx

Percentage of children aged 7-14 who demonstrate foundational reading skills by successfully completing three foundational reading tasks, by sex, 2017/18: 1

 Percentage who correctly read 90% of words in a storyPercentage of children who demonstrate foundational reading skillsPercentage of children who demonstrate foundational numeracy skills
Malesxxx
Femalesxxx
Totalxxx

Share of children not able to read and understand an age-appropriate text by age 10, adjusted for the out-of-school children: 51% 2

Additional Resources:

  •  

Sources:

  1. The World Inequality Database on Education (WIDE) for Tanzania

School infrastructure and facilities:

 Electricity 1Single‐sex basic sanitation facilities 1
Primaryxx
Lower Secondaryxx
Upper Secondaryxx

Additional Resources:

Sources: 

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months 1Proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds enrolled in vocational education 1Share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) 2Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education 2
15-64 years old 15-24 years old
Both sexes11.00% (2020) 30.20% (2020)0.06% (2017)14.4% (2020)5.43% (2022)
Male12.18%33.08%0.09%9.1%5.98%
Female9.90%27.52 %0.04%19.3% 4.88%
 Number of people 15-35 years old: 5,440, 928 (2024) of whom:3Percentage
Employed19,363,09376.1%
Unemployed686,90513.4%
Inactive2,485,5799.8 %
Student2,907,89911.4%
Total913, 723 

Total number of accredited Higher Education institutions: 54 4

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
  2. ILO
  3. Africa Youth Employment Clock
  4. Tanzania Commission for Universities
 Gender Parity Index (GPI) Gross enrolment ratio 1Adjusted Gender Parity Index (GPIA) Gross enrolment ratio 2Proportion of schools with adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities 2
Primary1.04 (2022)N/Ax
Lower secondary1.09 (2021) N/Ax
Upper secondary0.76 (2021)N/Ax
TertiaryNo data foundNo data foundN/A

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
Government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP 1Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure 1
3.26% (2023)13.70% (2023)

Additional Resources: 

Sources: 

  1. UIS SDG4 Data 
 15+ years15-24 years25-64 years65+ years
Literacy rate by age group 182.02% (2022)88.4% (2022)80.88% (2022)53.28% (2022)
 Both sexesMalesFemales
Literacy rate by sex 1x85.53% (2022)78.70% (2022)

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
 Proportion of schools with access to internet for pedagogical purposes 1Proportion of secondary schools with access to computers for pedagogical purposes 1
Lower secondaryxx
Upper secondaryxx

Additional Resources:

Sources:

  1. UIS SDG4 Data
Refugees and asylum seekers 1Internally Displaced Persons due to conflict or natural disasters 2
234,29631,000

Sources:

  1. UNHCR Operational Data Portal – UNHCR
  2. Global Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
 Yes/NoSource / Additional Resources
Education Sector PlanYes

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2018)

Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (2017). 
Zanzibar Education Development Plan II 2017/2018–2021/2022 

Related strategic documentsYes

The U. R. of Tanzania. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2020)

Tanzania UR. Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

National Commitment StatementYesTanzania National Statement
Early Childhood Education PolicyNoUnited Republic of Tanzania Country Profile for Early Childhood Development
National Teacher’s StandardsNo

The U. R. of Tanzania. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2016). Pre-primary and primary teacher deployment strategy 2019-2021:

Guidelines for teachers deployment in pre-primary and primary schools (2020)

The National Credit and Qualifications FrameworkYes

Tanzania Qualifications Framework

University Qualification Framework (UQF)

Higher Education Accreditation bodyYes

The Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU)

UNESCO Higher Education Policy Observatory Country Profile

National inclusive policyYes

The U. R. of Tanzania. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. (2017). National Strategy for Inclusive Education, 2018-2021

GEMR Inclusion Profile

Gender PolicyYes

United Republic of Tanzania, Ministry of Community Development, Gender, and Children. (n.d.). National strategy for gender development

National Strategy for Gender Development

Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups

Math and science policyNo 
Youth policyYes

GEMR - ICT in Education Profile

EdTech Hub Work in Tanzania

ICT Country ProfileYes

GEMR - ICT in Education Profile

EdTech Hub Work in Tanzania

Resilience planYes

Education Sector Development Plan (2016/17 –2020/21) Tanzania Mainland

Zanzibar Education Development Plan II 2017/2018–2021/2022

Climate Change Education and CommunicationNoGEMR Climate Change Profile
Private sector: Non-State actors in EducationYesGEMR-Non-State Actors in Education Profile
Sexuality educationYesGEMR-Comprehensive Sexuality Education Profile
Education Scenario for 2043YesFuture Projections and Strategic Outlook on Education