Over 1,000 classrooms planned in Zanzibar

ZANZIBAR: THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Mussa Zungu, has said the Zanzibar government plans to continue constructing modern education infrastructure, including more than 1,000 classrooms, in the 2025/26 financial year.

Mr Zungu said the move reflects the core objective of the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution to ensure every child, including those from farming and working-class families, enjoys the fundamental right to education in a conducive learning environment.

He made the remarks on Wednesday in Kiwani, Mkoani District, Pemba, shortly after officiating the opening of boys’ and girls’ dormitories during celebrations marking the 62nd anniversary of the Zanzibar Revolution.

“The eighth-phase government is committed to providing students and teachers with friendly, well equipped learning environments, including modern buildings with adequate facilities,” he said.

The Speaker noted that before the 1964 Revolution, many children from ordinary families were denied access to education, adding that continued investment in schools is a direct fulfilment of the Revolution’s founding vision.

According to Mr Zungu, improved learning conditions have contributed significantly to the steady rise in academic performance among students in both Unguja and Pemba in recent years.

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“To sustain these gains, it is vital for citizens to protect and maintain the facilities provided by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training,” he stressed.

Speaking more broadly about the Revolution, Mr Zungu urged citizens to uphold and safeguard its values for the benefit of the nation.

He praised the founders of the Revolution, including the late Abeid Amani Karume, describing their struggle as noble and transformative, with achievements that remain evident 62 years on.

“As we commemorate 62 years of the Revolution, we proudly acknowledge the remarkable progress made, particularly in the education sector,” he said.

Mr Zungu also commended the President of Zanzibar Dr Hussein Mwinyi, for delivering development projects to citizens without discrimination.

In a related development, Mr Zungu applauded residents of Pemba Island for maintaining peace and stability during the recent multiparty General Election, saying the calm atmosphere enabled citizens to freely choose their leaders.

He noted that the peaceful environment contributed to a landslide victory for Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Earlier, the Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Ms Khadija Salum Ali, said the construction of teachers’ houses, student dormitories and classrooms is part of the implementation of the CCM 2025–2030 election manifesto.

She added that the ministry will continue building multi-storey schools in Unguja and Pemba to meet modern learning standards.

South Pemba Regional Commissioner, Mr Rashid Hadid Rashid, said the region has already benefited from seven multi-storey schools, including one designed for students with disabilities, noting that nine additional schools are planned.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Mr Khamis Abdalla Said, said the newly opened dormitories have addressed long-standing accommodation challenges at Kiwani Secondary School.

Prior to their construction, some students were forced to live in environments unsuitable for modern learning.

He said construction of the boys’ and girls’ dormitories, along with two teachers’ houses, began in September 2024 and was completed in December 2025. The project, implemented by Mwinyi Building Construction and supervised by the Zanzibar Buildings Agency (ZBA) cost more than 4bn/-.