EDUCATION remains one of the most powerful tools for social transformation, economic growth, and the promotion of gender equality. Across the world, evidence consistently shows that educating girls leads to healthier families, stronger economies, and more inclusive societies.
In Tanzania, efforts to improve access to quality education for the girl child have gained renewed momentum through coordinated government action and strategic partnerships with civil society organizations, notably HakiElimu.
These initiatives reflect a growing commitment to addressing long-standing gender disparities that continue to hinder girls’ full participation in education. Despite significant progress over the years, the girl child in Tanzania still faces multiple barriers that threaten her educational journey.
According to UNESCO and UNICEF reports, millions of girls globally are still out of school due to poverty, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and inadequate school infrastructure.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, girls are more likely than boys to drop out of school during adolescence, particularly at the transition from primary to secondary education. In Tanzania, national data shows that while enrollment at the primary level is relatively high, dropout rates among girls increase sharply at the secondary level, often driven by sociocultural norms and inadequate learning environments.
Against this backdrop, the collaboration between the Government of Tanzania and HakiElimu represents a critical intervention aimed at transforming the education system to be more gender-responsive and inclusive.
Through initiatives such as the Gender Equality Transformation in Education Project (MMUKE), stakeholders are working together to create safe, supportive, and enabling environments that allow girls to remain in school and achieve their full potential. A key aspect of this approach is stakeholder engagement.
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HakiElimu has consistently emphasized the importance of involving education officers, planners, community development officers, and social welfare officials at the local government level. Through annual reflection meetings and targeted workshops, such as those convened in Dodoma and involving local government authorities (LGAs) from Babati Town, Mpwapwa, Korogwe, Muleba, Kilosa, Musoma Municipality, Iramba, and Mkuranga, stakeholders are given a platform to assess progress, share experiences, and identify gaps in implementation.
Speaking during a HakiElimu convenes LGAs’ annual reflection meeting on Genderresponsive budgeting which occurred recently in Dodoma. HakiElimu’s Gender and Development Expert, Ms. Nuria Mshare, underscored that the organization’s work goes beyond infrastructure development. The project seeks to mainstream gender considerations into education planning, budgeting, and implementation processes.
“This includes ensuring that gender indicators are reflected in district education budgets and that resources are allocated to address the specific needs of girls. Infrastructure remains a critical factor in determining whether girls stay in school,” she said “Studies by the World Bank indicate that the absence of girl-friendly facilities, such as safe dormitories, adequate sanitation, and menstrual hygiene management spaces, significantly contributes to absenteeism and dropout,” she mentioned
“In Tanzania, many girls miss school during menstruation due to lack of sanitary products and private facilities, a challenge that disproportionately affects those in rural and underserved communities,” she added “Through the MMUKE project, HakiElimu, in collaboration with government authorities and development partners, has supported the construction of girls’ dormitories, toilets, menstrual hygiene management rooms, and water infrastructure in schools. These interventions directly address practical barriers that have historically undermined girls’ education,” she emphasized Ms.
Nuria Mshare elaborated, “Evidence from similar programs across Africa shows that when schools provide safe accommodation and proper sanitation, attendance among girls increases, academic performance improves, and dropout rates decline,” “Beyond infrastructure, the project also tackles systemic issues through gender-responsive budgeting.
Local government education officials have acknowledged that integrating gender indicators into budgets has enhanced accountability and effectiveness,” she added Babati Town Education Officer, Mr. Simon Mumbee, highlighted that discussions during the reflection meetings enabled districts to formally recognize issues such as access to sanitary towels as budget priorities.
“This shift ensures that challenges affecting girls are no longer treated as peripheral concerns but as central components of education planning. Gender-responsive budgeting is widely recognized as a powerful tool for promoting equality,” Mumbee noted “According to UN Women, when governments allocate resources based on the different needs of women and men, public services become more equitable and impactful.
In the education sector, this approach helps ensure that investments directly address barriers faced by girls, including school safety, health needs, and access to learning materials,” he briefed He echoed that, “Another critical challenge addressed through the HakiElimu-government partnership is the role of socio-cultural norms.
Deeply rooted traditions, early marriages, and limited community awareness about gender equality continue to affect girls’ education outcomes,” “Social welfare officers and community development practitioners involved in the project have emphasized the need for sustained community engagement to shift attitudes and behaviors.
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Awareness campaigns, school clubs against gender-based violence, and the involvement of parents and local leaders are essential in creating supportive environments for girls,” he explained Social Welfare Officer, from Mpwapwa District Mr. Mustapha Ngwila, noted that while cultural challenges persist, increased awareness and visible improvements in schools have started to change community perceptions.
He explained that, “Research from organizations such as the African Population and Health Research Center shows that community-based interventions play a vital role in reducing school dropout linked to early marriage and pregnancy,” “Food insecurity has also emerged as a significant barrier to learning. Multiple studies indicate that school feeding programs contribute to improved attendance, concentration, and retention, particularly for girls from low-income households,” he mentioned.
“Education officers participating in the HakiElimu-led meetings acknowledged that lack of food in schools discourages attendance and affects learning outcomes. As a result, districts are increasingly engaging local stakeholders to support school feeding initiatives as part of broader education reforms,” he remarked Mkuranga District Primary Education Officer Ms.
Regina Masyole, noted that the partnership has enhanced monitoring mechanisms and encouraged stakeholders to take collective responsibility for addressing gender-related challenges.
“This model of shared responsibility aligns with global best practices, where governments provide policy direction and resources, while civil society organizations offer technical expertise, innovation, and grassroots engagement,” she noted She indicated that, “The impact of such partnerships extends beyond immediate outcomes.
By building institutional capacity at the local level, the program fosters sustainability and long-term change. The MMUKE project, which is expected to run until 2028, aims to embed gender equality principles into the education system, ensuring that gains made during the project period continue well into the future,”
“Globally, data from the World Bank shows that each additional year of schooling for girls can increase their future earnings by up to 20 percent and significantly reduce rates of child marriage and maternal mortality,” she sited She acknowledged that, “For Tanzania, investing in the education of the girl child is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic development priority. Educated girls are more likely to become economically independent, participate in decision-making, and contribute meaningfully to national development,” “The ongoing collaboration between the Government of Tanzania and HakiElimu demonstrates how targeted, gender-responsive reforms can transform the education landscape for girls.
By addressing infrastructure gaps, integrating gender considerations into budgeting, strengthening stakeholder coordination, and challenging harmful social norms, these efforts are creating pathways for girls to learn, thrive, and realize their aspirations,” she indicated.
On her part, Bahati Mugarula, the Community Development Officer for Musoma Municipality narrated that, Tanzania continues to prioritize inclusive education, sustaining and scaling such initiatives will be essential in ensuring that no girl is left behind and that education truly becomes a vehicle for equality and empowerment.
“One of the key importance of Community Development Officers lies in their close engagement with communities. Unlike policy makers who operate mainly at national or regional levels, these officers work directly with families, local leaders, and schools,” she mentioned