Stakeholders push 20pc national budget education

DODOMA: EDUCATION stakeholders have urged the government to allocate at least 20 per cent of the national budget to the education sector to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes and ensure inclusive and quality education for all.

The call was made in Dodoma during the Annual Joint Education Sector Review (AJESR) 2025 by the Chairperson of the Tanzania Education Network (TEN/ MET) Board, Mr Simon Nanyaro, who said sustained and predictable funding remains critical for improving education delivery across all levels.

Mr Nanyaro said TEN/ MET continues to advocate for increased education financing, stressing that the government’s consistent investment in the sector is key to achieving national and global education goals.

“We urge the government to allocate at least 20 per cent of its annual budget to the education sector. Doing so will enhance the quality of teaching and learning, improve access and promote inclusive education for every Tanzanian child,” he said.

He also called for the inclusion of a legal provision on the re-entry of students who drop out of school in the Education Act, to give the policy a firm legal foundation and ensure continuity of learning for all learners.

In addition, Mr Nanyaro underscored the need to develop and implement a national strategy for mobilising domestic resources and strengthening accountability and financial management systems in the sector.

He said the approach will help address the decline in donor support and fill funding gaps needed to sustain education development.

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Mr Nanyaro further appealed to the government to closely supervise the implementation of the school feeding programme, saying every learner should have access to meals while at school.

“The programme should be sustainable, with strong community participation involving parents, local leaders and other stakeholders. The government should also set aside a special budget to support schools in providing meals,” he said.

He called on all education actors to work collectively in implementing the key resolutions adopted during the AJESR 2025 meeting to accelerate reforms and improve learning outcomes.

“As we leave this meeting, let each of us become an agent of change in implementing our shared commitments for the greater benefit of Tanzanian children,” he said.