The Sixth Phase Government, under the leadership of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, has released a total of Sh5.7 billion for the construction of two secondary schools in Mara Region Mara Girls’ Secondary School and Butiama Technical Secondary School.
The investment is part of efforts to improve learning infrastructure and expand access to quality education, especially for girls and students pursuing technical studies.
The funds, disbursed under the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Programme (SEQUIP), align with the 2020–2025 CCM Election Manifesto, which prioritizes increased enrolment from Form One to Form Six while enhancing the learning environment.
SEQUIP is designed to strengthen secondary education by bridging the infrastructure gap and enabling inclusive and equitable access.
Out of the total allocation, Sh4.1 billion has been directed to Mara Girls’ Secondary School, located in Bulamba Village, Butimba Ward in Bunda District.
The funds are being used to implement a wide range of projects, including the construction of a classroom block with two rooms, three additional buildings each with two classrooms and an office, and two more classrooms with attached toilet facilities.
The school is also equipped with a Physics laboratory and Geography room, a combined Chemistry and Biology laboratory, an administration block, a generator room, a dining hall, and 16-stall student toilets.
Eight dormitories have been built, alongside a three-room teacher’s house, a twin-unit teacher’s house (2-in-1), a health unit, and a perimeter fence to ensure safety and security.
In Butiama District, Sh1.6 billion has been allocated for the construction of Butiama Technical Secondary School.
The project involves the building of 18 infrastructure units to support both academic and vocational education.
These include four classrooms without offices and four with office space, an administration building with a site store, two science laboratories for Chemistry and Biology, and a teacher’s house.
Other facilities under construction are a library, an ICT room, four dormitories, a dining hall and kitchen, an eight-stall toilet block, a mechanics and metal fabrication workshop, a masonry workshop, and a water tank.
The school is expected to offer technical training opportunities that align with Tanzania’s industrialization goals.
Education stakeholders in Mara have welcomed the development, saying the new schools will address long-standing challenges in access, especially for girls, and provide a platform for skills development among youth.
The government’s commitment, they say, reflects a clear vision to empower future generations through education and infrastructure development.