Arusha, Tanzania – August 13, 2024

Tanzania's Vice President, Hon. Philip Mpango, has urged East African nations to prioritize investment in education to ensure the region's youth are equipped for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. Speaking at the official opening of the first East African Community (EAC) Regional Education Conference in Arusha, Mpango emphasized the critical need for reforms that align education systems with both academic and vocational demands.

In an increasingly interconnected world, education policies may emphasize the development of global competence, including intercultural understanding, language proficiency, and awareness of global issues. This could involve integrating global perspectives into the curriculum, promoting international exchange programs, and providing professional development for educators in the sector.

Dodoma, Tanzania.

In a bid to revolutionize the landscape of inclusive education financing, stakeholders gathered today at the Morena Hotel in Dodoma for an enlightening event titled "Inclusive Education Financing: the Use of Data for Informed Decision Making."

This crucial gathering, held on September 14, 2023, served as a platform for exploring the transformative power of data-driven decision-making in the realm of inclusive education financing.

In August 2022, Sylvester Chawe participated in the 2nd International Quality Education Conference held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As one of the RYCs (Regional Youth Coordinators) facilitated by the EOL project, Sylvester joined policymakers, delegates from Africa and beyond, researchers, educators, stakeholders, and students in this transformative event. The conference aimed to address the challenges facing graduates, particularly in terms of employment, and foster discussions on improving education.

On 17/02/2023, Joshua Mpossa RYC from Mtembela ward in Mbeya DC visited Idugumbi Primary School after hearing that students were not getting meals at school. Deeply concerned about their well-being, he decided to take action and meet with the headmaster to discuss the challenge. Little did he know, this encounter would mark the beginning of a transformative journey.

Monica Kyando, a passionate RYC from Utengule Usongwe ward in Mbeya DC, had the privilege of participating in a transformative training program organized by Policy Forum under the EOL project, implemented through the KUYENDA alliance. The training equipped Monica with the ability to identify various challenges that hindered access to education within her ward, including issues related to infrastructure, shortage of science teachers, books, and dormitories.

Students in Utengule Usongwe ward, specifically at Nsalanga and Itezi primary schools, endured a distressing two-week period without desks. Shockingly, it was revealed that the cause of this predicament was not due to a shortage of desks but rather the deliberate theft of fifty desks and chairs. This disheartening story is brought to light by Winfrida Solela, an esteemed RYC from Mbeya DC.

In the transformative training program that focused on accountability, structure, system, and coordination in the Education sector, organized by Policy Forum through the EOL project under the KUYENDA alliance, the RYCs were filled with an unwavering determination to ensure that students had a voice in the decision-making processes of their schools. They yearned to address the challenges that burdened their learning outcomes, igniting a flame of hope within their hearts.

How can rural youth voices be better heard in transnational education policy spaces?

The Kuyenda Collective is a group of civil society organisations working with young people in marginalised rural communities to amplify their voices so that they may be better able to contribute to national and transnational education services and outcomes in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Malawi.