Government dismisses fears of teachers losing jobs to technology

By Katare Mbashiru

Dodoma. Tanzanian teachers who believe their jobs are at risk because of rapid changes in the digital era may be misguided, the government has said.

The assurance follows the rollout of the National Digital Education Strategy 2024/25–2029/30 and its implementation guidelines, which outline measures aimed at enabling educators to retain their jobs while benefiting from advanced and simplified digital technologies.

“The notion that teachers will be replaced by technology is wrong because, worldwide, teachers are irreplaceable,” said the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Permanent Secretary, Prof Caroline Nombo.

Prof Nombo was speaking in Dodoma on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, during a two-day dissemination workshop on the National Digital Education Strategy and its implementation guidelines, where she urged teachers from across the country to strengthen their capacities in digital technology and artificial intelligence to enhance their teaching competencies.

She said the strategy seeks to deliver significant gains in training, research, and innovation in the country’s education sector, noting that it applies to all schools, teachers’ colleges (TCs), technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and universities nationwide.

The strategy, Prof Nombo said, serves as a guide for all education levels while involving communities, investors, implementers, and key partners and beneficiaries in the sector.

“It provides a snapshot of what is required for the integration of ICT in education to reduce the digital divide and improve curriculum delivery for better learning outcomes,” she said.

According to the strategy, monitoring, evaluation, and learning of ICT in education will be conducted at all education and training levels through various approaches, outlining milestones and key performance indicators under each strategic objective.

Presenting the document at the dissemination workshop, renowned computer scientist, Dr Alcardo Barakabitze, said that by June 2030, at least 90 percent of all schools, TCs, TVET institutions, and universities will be connected to the national power grid, while 100 percent will have access to offline digital resources.

The strategy also projects that by June 2028, electricity will be extended to at least 80 percent of classrooms and laboratories in schools, TCs, TVET institutions, and universities.

The document further indicates that by June 2030, at least 70 percent of learners are expected to access educational digital content, while at least 90 percent of schools, TCs, TVET institutions, and universities will be using e-libraries and digital content repositories.

Parents are also expected to benefit, as they will be able to assess their children’s academic performance digitally.

By June 2030, at least 80 percent parental involvement in the assessment ecosystem is envisaged through collaborative online platforms and resources.

Earlier, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Prof Daniel Mushi, said the government had made adequate preparations before developing the strategy, noting that it meets current demands in the digital education era.