Situated in East Africa, Tanzania is the 13th largest country in the continent and the 24th most populous country in the world. Post the 2008 world recession, Tanzania’s economy has seen rapid expansion bolstered by strong performance in the telecommunications, tourism and banking sectors. Home to Africa’s tallest mountain (Mount Kilimanjaro) and known for its vast swathes of natural wilderness, Tanzania has also recently been named as one of the top 10 fastest growing economies in the continent. As a fast-developing nation, this country has put into practice free and accessible education (up to secondary education) for all its citizens. Educational infrastructure in Tanzania has been steadily improving ever since the country gained independence from the British. Over the years and with newer developments, the landscape for higher education in Tanzania has a lot of hope and potential as a fundamental factor in the country’s efforts to achieve progress.
About the Education System
Schooling and education are available through private or public means. The format followed is pre-primary, primary, secondary ordinary, secondary advanced and then university education.
The course work for education across all levels is standardized and forms the basis for the national level exams. A similar standard continues for higher education in Tanzania.
Higher Education In Tanzania
The first tertiary level institution in Tanzania was established in the year of its independence, 1961, and later became a part of the University of East Africa in 1963. Today there are 10 public universities available to students seeking higher education in Tanzania, with even more private universities around the country. Business and market-oriented courses are often the kinds of education provided by private universities. Additionally, there are several universities and colleges dedicated to the health and education fields.
The Situation Today
While around 190,000 students are enrolled across the various institutions of higher education in Tanzania, the rate of enrollment is still just 1%, which is lower than both the World average (15%) and the African norm (5%).
Post-independence, the government policies of the time pushed hard for universal education at the primary and adult levels, but this had the consequence of secondary and higher education in Tanzania being limited till 1980. However, reforms by the government, as well as the World Bank, have been seeking to increase the enrollment rates for both secondary and tertiary education.
While initially the male to female ratio was heavily skewed towards the males (close to 1.8 females per 1 male in 2013) this has been improving with the ratio being about 1.3 female to male across institutes of higher education in Tanzania.
Another noteworthy fact is that the vast majority of students enrolled are full-time students, with less than 5% being part-time. Today, the top fields of higher education in Tanzania are Education, Business, Social Sciences and the Medical and Health Sciences.
Have an Experience Of International Education
India is a great educational destination for Tanzanian students who are looking for advanced educational experience that are lacking in the system of higher education in Tanzania. With around 800 universities and over 30,000 colleges, there are plenty of opportunities for a vast number of majors and courses. Sharda University in the NCR near Delhi is a large university that accepts international students from around the world. For students who have financial difficulties, Sharda University also offers scholarships based on academic merit.
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