The Government of Tanzania has invested more than TZS 28.4 billion in a sweeping effort to improve education infrastructure in the Manyara Region, as part of the national Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP).
The funds, released in three phases under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, aim to expand access to quality education and develop a new generation of skilled professionals to drive the country’s development agenda.
According to regional authorities, the investment has facilitated the construction of 22 new ward-level secondary schools at a cost of TZS 11.94 billion.
In addition, two vocational-focused secondary schools have been built for TZS 2.18 billion, while a new girls’ secondary school has been established at a cost of TZS 4.45 billion.
"This funding demonstrates the government’s unwavering commitment to education as the cornerstone of national development," said a regional education official. "We are not only building schools we are building futures."
The initiative also includes the construction of 24 dormitories for A-Level students, 54 additional classrooms, 159 sanitary latrine pits, 15 staff houses, and a new regional secondary school for boys all designed to enhance learning conditions and reduce barriers to education, particularly for students in remote areas.
Each of the 22 ward-level schools has been equipped with modern infrastructure: eight classrooms, ICT labs, three science laboratories (chemistry, biology, and physics), a library, administrative offices, boys' and girls’ toilets, a waste incinerator, and a rainwater harvesting system with underground tanks.
The two newly constructed vocational secondary schools (Amali) feature a range of amenities including workshops, sports fields, four dormitories, a dining hall, teacher accommodation, ICT labs, science labs, and water tanks ensuring a holistic learning environment.
Meanwhile, two regional boarding schools one for boys and one for girls now stand fully equipped with 22 classrooms, three laboratories, a sick bay, dormitories, a dining hall, administrative blocks, incinerators, teacher housing, and fenced compounds.
The SEQUIP project, supported by the Tanzanian government and development partners, is part of broader national reforms to improve learning outcomes and bridge the gap in education access between rural and urban areas.
Education stakeholders in Manyara have praised the government for its continued support, saying the infrastructure investments are already beginning to improve student retention, safety, and academic performance.
As the country prepares for the next phase of education reforms, Manyara’s success story may serve as a model for similar interventions across Tanzania’s regions.