Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation James Ole Millya has pledged to push for boarding status for schools in Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, to enable students to access government-supported meals and ease the burden on struggling families.
The move seeks to address challenges facing learners in pastoralist communities, where long distances between homes and schools make daily attendance difficult and increase the cost of providing meals.
Speaking at a Form Four graduation ceremony at Emboreet Secondary School, Mr Ole Millya said he would bring together 10 traditional elders, known as malaigwani, and other influential community leaders in Dodoma to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba.
He said between 80 and 90 per cent of students in Simanjiro came from pastoralist communities, making school feeding an important concern for families and education authorities.
“Many primary and secondary schools are far from residential areas. They should therefore be registered as boarding schools so that students can stay there and receive meals,” he said.
The proposal comes as some parents struggle to meet the cost of feeding children at school, raising concerns about the financial pressure on households and the potential impact on access to education.
Emboreet Secondary School headteacher Aziza Rajabu Msengesi said the school's lack of boarding status for Forms One to Four had left many parents unable to afford contributions for students' meals.
She said some families had opted to transfer their children to neighbouring Monduli District, where schools receive government support for food.
“The situation has forced some parents to move their children to Monduli, where schools receive government subsidies for meals,” she said.
Securing boarding status for schools in Simanjiro could help address the challenge, although the proposal will require engagement with the relevant authorities and a decision on the conditions for government support.
Beyond education, residents also face infrastructure challenges that affect access to public services.
Emboreet Ward councillor Yohana Shinini said the constituency development fund had supported improvements in the area, including TZS83 million used to improve school classrooms.
He added that local groups had secured TZS80 million in loans through the 10 per cent allocation of locally generated revenue designated for women, youth and people with disabilities.
However, Mr Shinini identified the condition of the Laitunyo road as another concern, warning that a gully along the route could become more problematic during the expected El Niño rains.
He said deteriorating conditions could make it difficult for residents to reach Emboreet, the ward's administrative centre.
The challenges underline the need for coordinated interventions in Simanjiro, where improving access to education requires attention to school feeding, the distance learners travel and the infrastructure connecting communities to essential services.