Dodoma, May 12, 2025 — The government has proposed a budget of Sh2.44 trillion for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for the 2025/26 financial year.
This marks an increase of 14 percent (TZS 300 billion) compared to the current financial year’s allocation of TZS 2.14 trillion.
The budget was presented in Parliament by Prof. Adolf Mkenda, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, saying the new proposal reflects the government's goal to improve access to quality education, expand infrastructure, and support teachers and learners across the country.
“This budget shows our commitment to strengthening human capital. We want to build more classrooms, expand science and technology learning, and make sure our teachers are well supported,” said Prof. Mkenda during his speech.
Out of the total amount requested, Sh688.61 billion is for recurrent expenditure whereby TZS 635.25 billion will go to salaries, while TZS 53.36 billion is for other operational expenses.
This is an increase from last year’s recurrent budget of Sh632.5 billion, which included around Sh580 billion for salaries and Sh52.5 billion for other uses.
The remaining TZS 1.75 trillion is for development projects, higher than the TZS 1.51 trillion allocated in 2024/25.
Of the development funds, TZS 1.19 trillion will come from domestic sources, while TZS 560.83 billion will be provided by development partners.
In the current financial year, domestic contributions stood at TZS 1.05 trillion, while external support amounted to TZS 460 billion.
Prof. Mkenda explained that the development budget will be used to construct classrooms, science laboratories, hostels, and teachers' houses.
It will also support teacher training, curriculum improvement, and digital learning projects.
The budget aims to expand access to education in underserved areas and improve the overall quality of learning in schools and universities.
In addition to the main ministry budget under Vote 46, the government is also seeking approval of TZS 3.24 billion for the National Commission for UNESCO under Vote 18.
From the amount, TZS 1.54 billion will be used to pay staff salaries, while TZS1.70 billion will cover other operational costs.
The total request for both votes amounts to TZS 2.44 trillion. If approved by Parliament, this will be the largest education budget in the country’s history.
It reflects the government’s belief that education is a key driver of economic development and social progress.