Zanzibar President and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, has announced a major boost for the country’s education sector, revealing government plans to increase the education budget from 864 billion shillings to 1 trillion shillings.
The move aims to enhance the quality of education and expand opportunities for all students across the islands.
President Mwinyi made the announcement on 5 December 2025 while opening the 13th Annual Meeting of the Association of Secondary School Head Teachers (JUWASEZA) at Fidel Castro Secondary School.
During the event, he also inaugurated a modern girls’ dormitory in South Pemba a project designed to provide safer and more supportive learning environments for young women pursuing their studies.
The President assured citizens that the government is taking concrete steps to improve teaching conditions, support teachers’ welfare, and upgrade school infrastructure.
He explained that the newly opened girls’ dormitory is part of a larger government plan to build a dormitory in every district, with the goal of enabling 10,000 students to study in boarding schools by 2030.
Dr. Mwinyi urged school leaders to continue protecting school resources, strengthening student performance, and ensuring proper maintenance of facilities.
He committed to setting aside funds specifically for repairing school buildings and pledged that the government will continue addressing the challenges facing teachers.
In a message that will be welcome news to many families, the President also promised to review the welfare and benefits of retired teachers and other public servants.
This will include improvements to housing, pensions, and allowances, ensuring a better quality of life for those who have served the nation.
Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Lela Mohamed Mussa, praised President Mwinyi’s leadership, saying the progress seen in Zanzibar’s education sector stems from his vision and continued commitment to modernize learning.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Khamis Abdallah Said, reported that the new dormitory at Fidel Castro Secondary School cost 1.5 billion shillings to construct and can accommodate 288 girls, with an average of 28 students per classroom.
He added that the government plans to build 16 additional dormitories in Unguja and Pemba during the 2025–2026 financial year.
This newly inaugurated girls’ dormitory is the first such project opened by President Mwinyi in Pemba since he began his second term in office, marking another milestone in efforts to expand safe and accessible education for Zanzibar’s youth.