Tanzania Enhances Education Monitoring with New Vehicles

Government Enhances Education Monitoring with New Vehicles for Quality Assurance Officers

Dar es Salaam, March 16, 2025 – The Tanzanian government has reinforced its commitment to improving education quality by equipping school quality assurance officers (QAOs) with a new fleet of vehicles. The initiative, supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), aims to enhance the efficiency of education monitoring and ensure improved learning outcomes nationwide.

During a handover ceremony held at the National Council for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (NACTVET) in Dar es Salaam, Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Professor Adolph Mkenda, urged quality assurers to remain diligent and committed to their critical role in the education sector.

Strengthening Oversight in Education

Professor Mkenda underscored the vital role played by QAOs in identifying and addressing challenges in the education system. “The government is determined to improve your working environment and welfare. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed us to strengthen education quality through close monitoring, making informed recommendations, and taking appropriate actions,” he stated.

Emphasizing proactive engagement, he urged QAOs to report any pressing issues to their supervisors, district commissioners, or relevant authorities. “Your responsibility is to observe and report. If you encounter any issues requiring intervention, escalate them promptly so that solutions can be implemented,” he added.

A Key Investment for Educational Excellence

Professor Mkenda acknowledged the invaluable contributions of QAOs in tackling education sector challenges and pledged ongoing improvements in their working conditions. He also highlighted the significance of embracing technology in quality assurance efforts to facilitate real-time data collection and monitoring before conducting physical school visits.

Reaffirming the government’s broader economic transformation plans, the minister stated that strategic investments in education are equipping students with essential skills and competencies to compete on national and international levels, ultimately contributing to national development.

Boosting Mobility for Effective Monitoring

The newly acquired vehicles will enable QAOs to visit more schools, assess education standards, and provide expert guidance to teachers, leading to improved learning outcomes. The minister expressed appreciation to GPE for its partnership in procuring the vehicles and reiterated the government’s commitment to working with stakeholders to further strengthen the education sector.

Ephraim Simbeye, Director of the Quality Assurance Department in the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, welcomed the government’s efforts, emphasizing that the vehicles would significantly enhance efficiency in school monitoring. He assured that the new resources would be utilized effectively to achieve their intended purpose.

GPE’s Support in Strengthening Education

Representing GPE, Ms. Kemi Williams, Development Director at the British High Commission in Tanzania, highlighted the crucial role of investing in education for national growth. “The youth of Tanzania are the future, and education is the foundation of that future. Ensuring quality education requires significant resources, and today’s initiative is a testament to the ongoing efforts in that direction,” she stated.

This initiative marks the second phase of the government-GPE collaboration. In the first phase, 38 vehicles were distributed to quality assurance offices. The second phase has introduced 12 additional vehicles, costing approximately 1.7 billion Tanzanian shillings. These vehicles will be allocated to 11 districts previously lacking mobility support, while one will remain at the ministry for GPE program coordination.

The districts benefiting from the new vehicles include Kibondo, Korogwe, Njombe, Tanganyika, Manyoni, Mbozi, Serengeti, Tunduma, Babati, Kahama, and Mafia. This expanded fleet aims to strengthen education oversight and ensure that schools nationwide maintain high-quality teaching and learning standards.