The $425 million initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), was launched in 2022 and is scheduled to conclude in 2026
Dar es Salaam. With less than a year remaining before its initial deadline, Tanzania’s Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project has reached 74.3 per cent completion, a milestone experts describe as a “significant leap” in reshaping the country’s higher education landscape.
The $425 million initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), was launched in 2022 and is scheduled to conclude in 2026.
It represents the largest single investment in Tanzania’s higher education sector, focusing on infrastructure development, curriculum reform, digital transformation and capacity building across 22 universities and technical institutions.
Speaking at the opening of a five-day national evaluation workshop at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) yesterday, HEET National Coordinator Kenneth Hosea said the progress reflects both government commitment and institutional effort.
“This level of achievement is a direct result of work done under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. The ministry continues to encourage beneficiary institutions to accelerate implementation so that the set targets are met within the planned period,” Dr Hosea told participants.
Beneficiary institutions are implementing projects ranging from modern laboratories and digital libraries to reviewing and developing new programmes aligned with national and regional labour market needs.
At the University of Dodoma (UDOM), progress has been mixed, with some initiatives fully completed, while large-scale construction projects remain ongoing.
Presenting UDOM’s progress report, the Assistant Project Coordinator, Dr Happiness Nnko, said the university had completed 39 curriculum reviews and developed new academic programmes, while sending 18 lecturers for further studies at Master’s and PhD levels both locally and abroad.
“We have projects already at 100 per cent completion, while others, such as the construction of science laboratories at the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, have reached 55.3 per cent. Classrooms at the College of Earth Sciences and Engineering are 61 per cent complete and the new Njombe campus, which started in June, is at 10.3 per cent,” she said.
Procurement of teaching equipment and furniture is ongoing, with 23 purchases initiated and 11 already awarded to suppliers.
At UDSM, the country’s oldest and largest university, the project has focused on strengthening postgraduate research, upgrading ICT infrastructure and equipping laboratories that are expected to significantly raise the university’s global competitiveness.
Other institutions, including the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NMAIST) in Arusha, the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), are implementing projects tailored to their academic strengths and national priorities.
A game-changer for higher education
Analysts say HEET has already begun transforming Tanzania’s higher education sector. By aligning curricula with industrial and economic demands, universities aim to produce graduates better prepared for employment and entrepreneurship.
UDSM’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Prof Nelson Boniface, who officiated the workshop, said the project’s success depends on institutions learning from one another.
“This is an opportunity for those still lagging behind to learn from others who have achieved more. Only through collaboration and shared lessons can we meet the national targets set under HEET,” he stressed.
Independent education expert Dr Esther Mnyanyi described HEET as “a turning point” in linking academia to industry.
“For years, universities in Tanzania have been criticised for producing graduates who are ill-prepared for the job market. With HEET, we are seeing tangible reforms—new courses in areas such as data science, renewable energy and advanced health research—which are exactly what the economy needs,” she said.
The Ministry of Education says it is determined to ensure the remaining 25.7 per cent of the project is achieved before June 2026. With careful monitoring and continuous evaluations, officials are optimistic about meeting the deadlines.
Dr Hosea noted that the government has instituted regular site inspections and contractor meetings to ensure construction projects—often the most delayed components—are completed on time.
Equally important is staff development. Across beneficiary institutions, hundreds of lecturers are undergoing training at home and abroad, expected to build a new generation of academic leaders capable of sustaining reforms beyond the life of the project.
For Tanzania, the stakes are high. As Dr Mnyanyi put it: “HEET is more than a project—it is a legacy investment. If well executed, it will shape the quality of higher education and research in Tanzania for decades to come.”
