JK hails Tanzania’s education drive in 277 new Sec schools, 2,409 primary school classrooms
DAR ES SALAAM: THE former Tanzanian president, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, has commended the Sixth Phase Government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan for expanding access to education and improving the quality of learning through sustained investment in school infrastructure across the country.
Dr Kikwete, who also chairs the Board of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), said the government’s commitment to improving education infrastructure has played a key role in ensuring that more children are enrolled in school and have access to quality education.
He said the achievements recorded during the 2025/2026 financial year demonstrate the government’s resolve to strengthen the education sector, citing the construction of 277 new secondary schools, 2,409 primary school classrooms, 957 pre-primary classrooms and 64 classrooms dedicated to learners with special needs.
According to Dr Kikwete, between 2021 and 2025, the government built a total of 2,441 new schools nationwide, significantly expanding access to education by bringing learning facilities closer to communities.
Speaking on the role of the Global Partnership for Education, Dr Kikwete said the organisation’s support is guided by priorities identified by partner governments rather than donor-driven conditions.
He explained that GPE provides financial and technical support based on each country’s education needs, including the printing of textbooks, teacher training and other initiatives aimed at improving learning outcomes.
Dr Kikwete said the partnership has enabled the distribution of 36 million textbooks in Tanzania, describing the investment as a major contribution to improving learning opportunities, particularly for children from low-income families and underserved communities.
He stressed that every classroom built represents more than physical infrastructure, saying it symbolises education’s power to break the cycle of poverty and lay the foundation for long-term social and economic development.
Dr Kikwete reaffirmed that sustained investment in education remains critical to developing a skilled workforce capable of driving Tanzania’s future growth and prosperity.
