Vodacom’s Head of Commercial Products, Ali Zuheri Ali, delivers a message at the launch of the digital education initiative ‘Let’s Go to the Classroom’ in collaboration with the Raoma Foundation. This initiative is designed to enhance digital education across the country, ensuring every school in Tanzania is connected to this transformative system. The launch took place in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO | CORESPONDENT
Dar es Salaam. The Raoma Foundation, in partnership with Vodacom Tanzania Plc, has launched a new digital education system aimed at expanding access to quality learning through technology.
The digital platform dubbed Somo was developed by Vodacom Tanzania to support teaching and learning across all subjects in line with the national curriculum. The system enables a teacher to deliver lessons to students in multiple locations simultaneously, bridging geographical barriers and addressing teacher shortages.
According to the company, the platform seeks to complement ongoing reforms in the education sector by connecting schools and teachers through technology, while offering interactive tools for both learners and educators. The initiative is designed to make modern, high-quality digital education accessible to students nationwide.
Speaking at the launch, the Director of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof Ladslaus Mnyone, who represented the Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Wanu Ameir Hafidh, said digital innovation was critical to achieving the country’s long-term development ambitions.
“As we pursue the 2050 Development Vision of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy, we recognise that education is the foundation of that transformation. By integrating digital technology into teaching and learning, we are widening access, enhancing quality and equipping Tanzanian children with the skills required to drive national development,” he said. He commended Raoma Foundation and Vodacom for the collaboration, noting that the system had been developed by local experts to serve Tanzanian learners and represented a significant step forward for the education sector.
The director of Raoma Foundation, Ms Rahma Abdallah, said the partnership demonstrated how private sector players could contribute meaningfully to improving education services.
She added that the foundation was working closely with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government, as well as development partners and other stakeholders to ensure the system reaches schools across the country.
For his part, Vodacom Tanzania’s head of Enterprise Products and Solutions, Mr Ali Z Ali, said the innovation aligned with the company’s broader objective of accelerating Tanzania’s digital transformation.
“One of our priorities is to support the country’s transition into the digital era. This system will enable a single teacher to instruct multiple schools or large groups of students in different locations without being physically present,” he said.
