Tanzania

Allocation: US$1.5 million

Years: 2020-2021

Grant agent: UNICEF

Key document: Application and program document

The US$1.5 million COVID-19 grant supports:

• learning continuity with digital learning resources such as radio, TV, online platforms and SMS
• distribution of printed learning materials to students from vulnerable areas, large printing materials and materials in Braille to visually impaired students, and sign-language interpretation for TV/video lessons
• special attention to girls’ safety and continued learning to protect them from gender-based violence, early pregnancy and early marriage
• an e-assessment platform with accelerated learning materials
• installation of water and sanitation facilities in schools
• teacher training on guidance and counselling to students.

These initiatives are based on the Ministry of Education’s COVID-19 response plan.

The Zanzibar Education Development Plan II 2017/2018–2021/2022 is the second comprehensive sector-wide strategy. It aims to contribute to the development of skills and knowledge of children and youth, allowing them to realize their full potential and contribute to the development of Zanzibar.

The ZEDP II outlines three objectives:

1. All children can access and complete a relevant and quality basic education, including increasing access to pre-primary education, upper secondary school, higher education and technical and vocational education and training.
2. Improved learning outcomes at all levels of the system with graduates able and well qualified to enter the world of work.
3. Compatible institutional architecture and high quality leadership with access to quality data and research providing for effective and efficient education management and accountability.

The specific interventions by subsector are:

• Pre-primary and primary education:
  • Increase access to pre-primary and primary school, with a focus on the most disadvantaged areas and children
  • Improve the quality of learning
  • Enhance the leadership and management skills at all levels as part of the decentralization process.
• Secondary education:
  • Increase access to Form 1 to 4 for all children
  • Improve the quality and relevance of the curriculum in science, technology, English and mathematics to meet labor market demands
  • Enhance leadership and management of schools with clear roles defined for communities, students, teachers and principals.
• Higher education:
  • Ensure adequacy of graduates have skills with the demands of the labor market
  • Provide pre-service teacher training and professional development that reflects best pedagogical practices
  • Improve the quality of research outputs.
• TVET, adult literacy, alternative learning and continuing education:
  • Provide training relevant to market demands, delivered by well-trained instructors
  • Increase the adult literacy rate.
• Quality and cross cutting issues:
  • Review and update the curriculum to reflect relevant learning expectation and gender-sensitive content
  • Provide professional development for teachers in mathematics, science and English language and child-centered pedagogical skills
  • Introduce ICT for learning
  • Review the learning assessment system
  • Provide inclusive education to allow all children to attend school
  • Develop a comprehensive strategy on like skills, school health, nutrition, reproductive health and protection
• Institutional reform, leadership and management
  • Establish the appropriate architecture to deliver education effectively in a decentralized fashion
  • Build capacity of leaders, managers and administrators
  • Provide quality research to allow decision-making based on robust data from EMIS.

Zanzibar received an implementation grant of US$5.76 million for the period 2018-2022. The program development objective is that "children are increasingly entering primary school at the right age and with 2 years of pre-primary exposure and all disadvantaged children (particularly rural poor and children with physical and learning difficulties) can access all levels of pre-primary, basic and secondary education."

The program development goals are:

1. More children at the right age are receiving 2 years of pre-primary education supported by parents and communities; this will be achieved by improving equitable on-time entry to pre-primary schools; expanding access to well-equipped pre-primary programs; strengthening teaching and learning quality; improving learning outcomes through parenting and community engagement; and leadership, management, and evidence-based research.
2. Schools and teachers in schools meet inclusive education standards; activities include finalizing, updating and completing policy, curriculum and standards; improving access to infrastructure, assistive devices and materials; strengthening teaching reform and pre-and in-service curriculum; and assuring and monitoring quality standards.
3. High-quality, timely, and evidence-based annual monitoring and review; this goal includes improving MoEVT administration; annual audits; and the annual joint sector review

The US$9.24 million grant to Zanzibar complements the grant approved in 2018. It combines a regular implementation grant and US$2.5 million from the GPE Multiplier, with additional financing of close to US$24 million from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), UNICEF, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Milele Zanzibar Foundation in support of the Zanzibar Education Development Plan II.

The US$9.24 million is divided into a fixed part (US$4.74 million), and a results-based portion (US$4.5 million).

The objective of the program is to improve access and quality of pre-primary and primary education. The program supports the implementation of the new pre-primary and primary curriculum, including:

• Develop and disseminate syllabi and other supporting documentation
• Develop materials to support implementation of the syllabi
• Procure and print teaching and learning materials
• Strengthen ward/Shehia and school management committee members role
• Provide support for monitoring and evaluation and advocacy.

The new curriculum and syllabus will have clearly defined competencies for children and teachers will be trained in how to monitor student’s progress against the competency outcomes. They will be provided with strategies to support children who are struggling. The new curriculum is to be introduced in the school year 2021/22 in pre-primary, Standard 1 and Standard 4.

The results-based portion of the grant will be linked to:

• Equity: Improve the share of children in Standard 1 who have attended pre-primary education in the 6 lowest performing districts
• Efficiency: Reduce disparities in teacher allocation by developing a deployment framework and reducing student/teacher ratio in 5 selected districts
• Learning: Establish a learning assessment system

Program document