Over 16,000 dropouts: The silent crisis in Tanzania’s universities

While education stakeholders have invested heavily in addressing issues at the primary and secondary levels, the plight of university students appears to have been overlooked.

Out of the total dropouts, 13,199 students were discontinued due to various reasons, including poor academic performance, inability to pay fees, and issues related to indiscipline.

Another 3,357 students were deregistered during the same period. These numbers, though significant, have not sparked the same concern as dropouts in lower levels of education.

For many students, dropping out of university is not a choice but an unavoidable decision.

Take the case of Juma Anthony, who joined the university in 2020 with high hopes of completing his degree.

After missing out on a Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) loan in his first year, he relied on contributions from family and relatives to pay his fees.

However, the financial strain became unbearable during his second year, “I applied for a loan again, but I was unsuccessful. With no other options, I quietly left the university.”

Today, he works as a motorcycle mechanic in Mwanza, saving money to enroll in a vocational college for mechanical engineering.

“I won’t return to university, but I am determined to continue my education in another way,” he told The Citizen in an interview on December 18, 2024.

Mr Anthony’s story is one among thousands. While some students leave due to financial challenges, others fail to cope academically.

One former university student, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared how his newfound freedom at university led to distractions that derailed his studies.

“I joined the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) with so much hope, but I got caught up in a lifestyle that affected my focus. By the time I realised it, I had failed too many courses and was discontinued,” he said.

Education analyst, Dr Thomas Jabir believes the issue stems from a lack of structured support for university students.

According to him, the emphasis on ensuring students complete primary and secondary school has left university students to navigate their challenges alone.

“This needs to change,” he said, adding, “Issues like financial difficulties, poor academic performance, and indiscipline require targeted interventions. We need research to uncover why students drop out and how to prevent it. As a nation, we cannot afford to lose such talent.”

Statistics from the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) paint a grim picture of the dropout trend.

In 2019, a total of 1,484 students were discontinued, and 329 others were deregistered.

The following year saw a sharp rise, with 4,173 students discontinued and 1,261 deregistered.

The trend continued in subsequent years, with 2,444 discontinued and 669 deregistered in 2021, and 2,893 discontinued and 653 deregistered in 2022.

Last year, 2,205 students were discontinued, and 445 were deregistered.

The growing concern has drawn attention from the government, with the Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda, acknowledging the issue during the launch of the HESLB App recently, a platform designed to simplify loan issuance and repayment processes.

Prof Mkenda emphasised the need for research to understand the root causes of university dropouts and develop solutions.

“We need to know why our university students are dropping out. If it’s due to a lack of loans or funds, we must find solutions,” he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of accuracy in loan applications, noting that many students miss out on loans due to incomplete or incorrect information.

“Parents and students must understand that errors in loan applications can lead to disqualification,” he explained.

Dr Jabir suggests that universities adopt proactive strategies to support their students.

“Institutions should introduce mentorship programmes, counseling services, and mechanisms to track students’ academic progress and well-being,” he said.