CBE steps up gender inclusion efforts

DAR ES SALAAM: THE College of Business Education (CBE) has stepped up efforts to promote gender equality through inclusive policies, leadership reforms and skills-based programmes aimed at empowering women and strengthening participation across all levels of the institution.

CBE Rector, Edda Lwoga, said the initiatives reflect a growing shift in higher education towards embedding inclusivity in institutional frameworks, noting that gender-balanced systems enhance decision-making, boost innovation and improve academic and economic outcomes.

Speaking during the college’s Gender Day celebrations, she said the reforms are already yielding results, citing improved institutional performance, including CBE’s ranking among top institutions in the AD Scientific Index, where it placed seventh in 2023 and eighth in 2024.

She said the college has made notable progress in promoting inclusivity, particularly at leadership level, where gender balance is increasingly becoming part of governance and day-to-day operations.

In 2023, the institution launched a long-term development policy extending to 2075, with a strong focus on gender equality and inclusiveness, supported by guidelines aimed at ensuring teaching, leadership and service delivery are responsive to gender considerations.

Prof Lwoga added that the college’s 2022 gender policy has strengthened inclusivity by addressing key areas such as recruitment, staff development and academic programmes.

To better align training with labour market demands, the college conducted a tracer study in 2022, which showed that onethird of its graduate’s secure formal employment, while another third venture into self-employment.

The findings informed the integration of gender inclusion into the curriculum, particularly in entrepreneurship training. As part of this initiative, CBE introduced business incubation programmes enabling students to develop and refine innovative ideas.

This year, about 301 students are enrolled in the programme, with 197 at the prototype stage, 63 advancing their projects and 41 already implementing business concepts.

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The institution has also rolled out an apprenticeshipbased curriculum, allowing students to alternate between academic study and workplace experience.

Earlier, Ms Fatma Abdallah of Puma Energy Tanzania, who was the guest of honour, commended CBE for translating policy into action through initiatives such as strengthening women’s participation in leadership, improving student counselling systems and establishing gender desks across campuses.

She, however, noted that challenges such as socio-economic barriers and gender-based violence continue to limit women’s participation in education, employment and leadership.

“Achieving gender equality requires safe and inclusive environments that respect human dignity and guarantee equal opportunities for all,” she said.

She added that inclusive leadership remains key, noting that institutions with balanced gender representation tend to make better decisions, foster innovation and achieve stronger performance outcomes. This year’s CBE Gender Day was held under the theme ‘Advancing Gender Equality through Inclusive Leadership and Empowerment’.