The party urges the Government to review student financing, rising university charges and admission procedures to ensure qualified students are not denied higher education because of financial difficulties or limited places.
ACT Wazalendo has called on the Government to take urgent action to address challenges facing university students, including limited access to higher education loans, rising education costs and difficulties securing admission for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The party said the challenges were placing additional pressure on students and families, particularly those with limited financial resources, warning that some young people risk abandoning their academic dreams despite meeting university admission requirements.
In a statement issued by its Shadow Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Riziki Shahari Mngwali, ACT Wazalendo outlined three key areas requiring government intervention to make higher education more accessible and affordable for Tanzanians.
ACT Wazalendo has expressed concern over the number of students who have not secured higher education loans in the first allocation round for the 2026/2027 academic year.
According to the party, 157,309 students had applied for loans by August 31, 2026. However, only 84,180 received loans in the first round announced on October 10, leaving 73,129 applicants without funding.
The party compared the figures with the 2025/2026 academic year, when the Higher Education Students' Loans Board (HESLB) received 150,530 applications and allocated loans to 106,606 applicants, while 43,924 missed out.
ACT Wazalendo also cited the Government's earlier plan, announced by Education Minister Prof. Adolf Mkenda in Parliament, to provide loans to 111,692 first-year students during the 2026/2027 academic year.
The party said students who fail to secure loans, or receive amounts that do not cover their essential needs, face difficulties paying tuition fees, accommodation and other education-related expenses.
Some students are forced to interrupt their studies, engage in small businesses or other income-generating activities to support themselves, while others use money intended for food and accommodation to pay tuition fees.
The situation also affects parents and guardians, who may be forced to sell their property or use family savings to keep their children in school, placing additional pressure on household finances.
To address the problem, ACT Wazalendo is calling for the Government to guarantee free and quality public education from pre-primary school through undergraduate university studies.
The party also proposes that the Government directly cover tuition fees, research expenses and essential academic costs for students admitted to universities and colleges, instead of relying on loans for these expenses.
Under the proposal, HESLB would focus on providing loans for students' living expenses, including food and accommodation.
The party said the proposed changes would help reduce the financial burden on families and prevent students from accumulating education-related debt.
ACT Wazalendo has also questioned increases in university fees and other charges at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) for the 2026/2027 academic year.
According to the party's analysis, direct charges paid by students have increased from TZS 97,400 to TZS 255,400 per student, an increase of TZS 158,000.
The charges reportedly cover services such as information and communication technology, library services, sports and graduation-related expenses.
The party further reported that identification card fees had increased from TZS 5,000 to TZS 15,000, while examination fees had risen from TZS 12,000 to TZS 30,000.
Accommodation costs have also increased. At the Mlimani Campus, on-campus hostel charges reportedly rose from TZS 800 to TZS 1,300 per day. At Mabibo hostels, charges increased from TZS 500 to TZS 1,000 per day.
ACT Wazalendo said the increases had also affected other campuses, including DUCE, Mkwawa and the UDSM Kagera Campus.
The party has called on UDSM to explain the reasons behind the increases and publish a clear breakdown showing how the new charges were calculated.
It has also urged the university to review the fees that have raised concerns among students.
For many families already struggling to meet basic needs, higher education costs can mean difficult choices between paying university expenses and meeting other household obligations.
ACT Wazalendo therefore wants the Government to increase funding for public universities so they can provide quality education without transferring an excessive share of operating costs to students and their parents.
The party has also called on the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) to monitor university charges and ensure that costs do not prevent qualified students from accessing higher education.
The party has further raised concerns about students who have failed to secure admission during the first and second application rounds despite believing they meet the required qualifications.
It cited a TCU announcement issued on October 3, 2026, concerning an extension of the application period for the third admission round.
ACT Wazalendo said students seeking to pursue medicine, pharmacy, radiology and biotechnology were among those facing difficulties because of limited places in these programmes.
Some applicants have reportedly applied to several institutions and paid application fees repeatedly without securing admission, leaving their families with additional expenses and uncertainty about their children's future.
The statement cited complaints from students who applied to more than five universities for medical studies but failed to obtain places.
Institutions mentioned in the statement included Kairuki University, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Rabininsia Memorial Hospital College, St. Joseph University, Kampala International University, the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, the University of Dar es Salaam and Sokoine University of Agriculture.
The application fees cited ranged from TZS 10,000 to TZS 50,000 per institution.
ACT Wazalendo said repeated unsuccessful applications increase the financial burden on families, particularly when students must pay several application fees without securing a place.
The party warned that limited opportunities in medicine and other science-related fields could force students to consider courses they had not originally planned to pursue, while others might fail to begin university studies altogether.
It has urged TCU to improve admission procedures and ensure that all qualified applicants have a fair opportunity to compete for available places.
The party also called on the Government to expand university infrastructure, recruit more lecturers and provide adequate teaching equipment to increase the number of students institutions can accommodate, particularly in fields that are important to national development.
ACT Wazalendo said student financing, university charges and admission opportunities must be addressed together if Tanzania is to ensure equal access to higher education.
The party argued that students cannot fully benefit from their academic achievements if they lack financial support, cannot afford university charges or fail to secure places because of limited institutional capacity.
It urged the Government to take immediate action to strengthen public education financing, review the costs faced by university students and expand opportunities for qualified applicants.
The party said greater investment in public universities and a fairer student financing system would help protect families from excessive education expenses while giving more young Tanzanians the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for employment and national development.
The statement was issued by Riziki Shahari Mngwali, ACT Wazalendo's Shadow Minister for Education, Science and Technology.