Dar es Salaam. Education stakeholders have reacted to the Civic United Front’s (CUF) manifesto for the 2025 General Election, which places education at the very heart of Tanzania’s development strategy.
While they commended its ambition and clarity, they cautioned that many well-intentioned promises in past manifestos had failed to materialise.
The CUF manifesto, which outlines the party’s vision for the period 2025–2030, devotes significant attention to the education sector.
The word “education” appears 192 times, underscoring its position as the bedrock of national development and a vital tool for empowering citizens to improve their livelihoods and businesses.
The document outlines wide-ranging proposals covering early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, higher, special needs, and adult education.
It also addresses teacher welfare, infrastructure, curriculum reform, and the integration of innovation and technology.
Stakeholders’ perspectives
Teacher and education advocate Samson Sombi welcomed CUF’s recognition of education as a national priority, but warned that the ultimate test lay in execution.
“Talking about education is good, but what matters most is implementation. Improving teachers’ working conditions and equipping them with the necessary tools would greatly enhance morale, creativity, and performance,” he said.
Mr Sombi urged political parties to match their manifestos with genuine political will, stressing that sustainable progress requires laying strong foundations.
That, he said, means not only reforming curricula but also safeguarding the dignity and welfare of teachers.
Education stakeholder Ochola Wayoga acknowledged that CUF’s proposals raise important issues, though he observed that many had already been highlighted by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
“The crucial thing is to improve teachers’ welfare so they can perform professionally without suffering. Teachers should not be seen as struggling to survive. If doctors are allowed other engagements while doing their work, I don’t see why teachers should be treated differently,” he said.
Wayoga added that CUF’s emphasis on education could enrich public debate during the election campaign and help citizens evaluate candidates on the basis of their commitment to advancing the sector.
Education analyst Magabilo Masambu said the most urgent challenge is overcrowded classrooms, noting that unless this issue is addressed, any proposed reforms will have only a limited impact.
“For education to be meaningful, it must be useful to learners, not simply push them through the system. When you talk about curriculum improvement, which curriculum are you referring to? We need education that goes beyond rote learning for exams,” he said.
Masambu noted that the government itself had admitted shortcomings in practical skills among graduates, hence the move towards competency-based education.
“If CUF truly intends to make education more practical, then it would complement the government’s existing agenda. But reforms must be holistic. Every level of education should equip students not only to seek jobs but also to create them,” he said.
CUF’s education agenda
The manifesto acknowledges the country’s deep-seated education challenges, from poor early childhood services to inadequate infrastructure, shortages of teachers and materials, and persistently low pass rates.
It points out that 30 percent of children under five remain stunted, linking poor nutrition and inadequate early learning support to weak outcomes later in life.
CUF promises to address these gaps through a comprehensive programme built on inclusivity, accessibility, and relevance.
Early childhood education
The party pledges to make pre-primary education compulsory and free for children aged three to five.
This will include the provision of teaching and learning materials, training of teachers through specialised programmes, and infrastructure expansion in collaboration with the private sector and community stakeholders.
To ease access, CUF promises to abolish taxes on pre-primary schools and learning materials.
A national school feeding programme will ensure every child receives at least one nutritious meal a day.
To reduce congestion, the manifesto proposes large-scale recruitment of teachers and accelerated classroom construction to achieve a healthier pupil-teacher ratio.
Curriculum reform will emphasise critical thinking, problem-solving, life skills, and ICT skills, while strengthening English instruction alongside Kiswahili to provide a firmer foundation for higher learning.
Secondary education and vocational training
While secondary education has expanded in recent years, CUF highlights persistent shortages of teachers, laboratories, libraries, and classrooms.
It pledges to make secondary schooling entirely free of hidden costs and to establish vocational training centres in every district.
The party argues that this will ensure pupils who do not continue to higher levels can still acquire employable skills and pursue self-reliance through vocational training aligned with labour-market demands.
Special needs education
CUF proposes a new inclusive education policy to mainstream the needs of learners with disabilities at every level.
This includes adapting infrastructure, training teachers in special education, and covering all related costs, including learning materials and personal support, through public funding.
Adult education and lifelong learning
The manifesto commits to reviving adult education, which has sharply declined following the collapse of night schools.
CUF plans to re-establish adult classes in every primary school, create free modern libraries with internet access, and extend opening hours to promote lifelong learning.
Higher education and innovation
Higher education is framed as pivotal to unlocking the potential of Tanzania’s youth in a rapidly changing global economy.
CUF pledges to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies into curricula, expand ICT infrastructure, and establish research and innovation centres in universities and colleges.
A national AI education programme will be developed to equip young people with digital and technical skills, preparing them for opportunities in the global knowledge economy.
The party also pledges to strengthen domestic research, increase the number and capacity of lecturers, and tackle shortages of student housing in universities.
Beyond the classroom
CUF links education to wider national priorities. It pledges to integrate reproductive health education, financial literacy, and community education into curricula, alongside awareness campaigns to reduce teenage pregnancies and encourage families to keep girls in school.
Specialised Blue Economy Vocational Institutes will train fisherfolk in modern techniques, maritime safety, and environmental protection, supported by ICT tools.
The manifesto also proposes a National Electric Vehicle Innovation Hub, developed in partnership with universities and private investors, to prepare Tanzanians for emerging industries.
Environmental education and ICT-based training for entrepreneurs and the informal sector are also highlighted as priorities.
Financing education
Recognising the scale of its ambitions, CUF pledges to allocate no less than 25 percent of the national budget to education each year, with at least half channelled into early childhood and primary education.
The party argues that without bold financial commitments, Tanzania will remain trapped in a cycle of under-investment and poor outcomes.
CUF’s manifesto presents a sweeping vision of education as the engine of Tanzania’s future development.
It positions the sector as a tool for poverty reduction, job creation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement.
The proposals encompass every stage of learning, including early childhood, primary, secondary, vocational, higher, adult, and special needs education, while also addressing teacher welfare, infrastructure, digital innovation, and inclusivity.
While stakeholders welcomed the manifesto’s depth, they stressed that the true challenge will be implementation.
Past experiences have shown that even the most ambitious plans risk failure without consistent political will, adequate resources, and careful execution.
If CUF honours its pledges, the reforms could transform Tanzania’s education system into a driver of national progress.
If not, the manifesto risks joining a long list of unfulfilled commitments that have left the sector lagging behind national aspirations.
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