UNESCO boosts learning with 4,000 books
DAR ES SALAAM: UNESCO has donated 4,000 supplementary books on health and well-being to the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE), seeking to strengthen primary school pupils’ knowledge and provided a computer server to enhance online teacher training.
The donations, handed over on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, aim to improve pupils’ understanding of health and well-being, while expanding teachers’ access to continuous professional development through digital platforms.
Delivering a message on behalf of Commissioner for Education Dr Lyabwene Mtahabwa, Tanzania Library Services Board Director General Dr Mboni Ruzegea said the government remains committed to improving the quality of education through appropriate teaching and learning materials and well-prepared teachers.
She said the government has revised education policies and curricula for pre-primary, primary and secondary education, placing greater emphasis on equipping learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed for self-employment or formal employment after completing their studies.
Dr Ruzegea said the UNESCO-donated books will support the reforms by providing practical learning materials to strengthen pupils’ understanding of health and wellbeing. She said the computer server will improve the reliability, performance and security of TIE’s Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) Learning Management System, enabling teachers to access professional training more effectively.
She urged education stakeholders to sustain collaboration to ensure the donated resources benefit more teachers and learners as well as deliver lasting results. TIE Director General, Dr Aneth Komba, said the supplementary books will equip primary school pupils with essential knowledge, attitudes and life skills to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
She said the materials have been developed with technical and financial support from UNESCO under the Education for Health and Well-being O3 Phase II project to support implementation of the revised curriculum.
Dr Komba said the computer server, donated through the UNESCO-Korea Fundsin-Trust project, Phase III, will strengthen the digital platform used by teachers to access continuous professional training. She said the initiative has also supported the development of 15 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competency modules aimed at improving teachers’ ability to use digital tools effectively and responsibly in teaching, learning and assessment.
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Dr Komba said TIE looks forward to further collaboration with UNESCO in developing a proposed Student Digital Skills Module and accompanying Teacher’s Guide for secondary education. She said the resources will equip students with essential digital skills, particularly those who have not taken Computer Studies as an elective subject.
The materials are expected to be accessible through TIE’s Online Public-School Platform. UNESCO Head of Office and Country Representative Michel Toto said the supplementary books target children aged five to 12 and cover key areas, including mental health, nutrition, physical exercise, relationships, reproductive health, gender equality and protection against violence and abuse.
He said the materials have been tailored to suit children’s ages, Tanzania’s environment and cultural context, ensuring their relevance to pupils’ daily lives. Mr Toto said the computer server has been provided under the ICT Transforming Education in Africa project, funded by the government of the Republic of Korea.
He said the project, running from 2024 to 2027, has supported the development of 15 digital training modules and capacity-building for more than 1,400 practising and student teachers.
