A Physics teacher at Mkwawa Secondary School, Madam Fuka, has called for greater investment in innovative teaching methods, technology and international educational partnerships to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to address emerging societal challenges.
Fuka made the call while sharing her experience at the Modern Jihad conference, a platform that brings students together to discuss social challenges, exchange ideas and develop solutions to problems affecting their communities.
She said education should go beyond classroom instruction by preparing students to become responsible citizens who can identify challenges, think critically and contribute to solving problems in society.
According to her, students should be given opportunities to learn from the experiences of adults, develop positive values and build the confidence necessary to take up leadership and other responsibilities in their communities.
She also urged teachers to embrace modern teaching approaches and make effective use of technology to improve the learning environment and make lessons more interactive and engaging.
Fuka said innovative teaching methods could help students understand complex subjects, discover their abilities and acquire practical skills that would benefit them both inside and outside the classroom.
She further highlighted the importance of educational cooperation between Tanzania and Japan, saying exchanges between students from the two countries provide opportunities for cultural understanding, knowledge sharing and international exposure.
She noted that such partnerships could also encourage students to improve their English language skills while broadening their understanding of technology and global developments.
Reflecting on her volunteer experience, Fuka said the programme had strengthened her professional skills and improved her approach to teaching.
She explained that the experience had equipped her with the ability to conduct academic assessments, including reviewing questions from the previous five years of national examinations.
This, she said, had helped her understand examination standards better and improve the quality of classroom instruction.
Fuka emphasised that volunteer programmes and international partnerships were important in strengthening the education sector by providing teachers with opportunities to acquire new skills, exchange professional experiences and improve their performance.
Her remarks come as Tanzania and Japan mark 60 years of friendship and cooperation through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer programme, which has facilitated knowledge and skills exchange across various sectors.
Over the past six decades, Japanese volunteers have worked alongside Tanzanian communities and institutions, contributing expertise and supporting initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and strengthening local capacity.
The anniversary also highlights the importance of people-to-people relations in complementing diplomatic cooperation between the two countries through mutual understanding, trust and shared development experiences.
The milestone provides an opportunity for Tanzania and Japan to reflect on achievements made through the partnership and explore new areas of cooperation to address emerging development needs.
Fuka said continued investment in teachers through professional development, technology and international cooperation would be essential in improving education quality and giving students a stronger foundation to meet future challenges.
She stressed that empowering teachers and exposing students to new knowledge and experiences would help build a generation capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.