How Tanzania’s stem drive can gain fresh momentum

According to data from the Basic Education Statistics (BEST, 2023), only about 60 percent of secondary schools have some form of science laboratory, but less than half of these are fully equipped for effective practical work.

The situation is particularly dire in public schools, where high student enrolment collides with limited resources.

Teachers often improvise, using makeshift materials to simulate experiments that would otherwise require proper equipment and chemicals.

“Our school has over 2,600 students, nearly 1,200 of them in science streams. With only 16 science teachers and one laboratory technician, we face a serious shortage of equipment and chemicals,” Temeke Secondary School head teacher Ingia Mtenga said yesterday.

Experts say the situation is not good in schools, especially in rural areas, where some students are forced to use laboratories from neighbouring schools to conduct practical lessons.

As such, the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) has set a modal. The institution has donated Sh10 million in cash to Temeke Secondary School for the purchase of laboratory equipment and essential chemicals.

Speaking during the handover, HESLB executive director Bill Kiwia said, “This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. We believe our nation cannot achieve its industrialisation vision without investing in science.”

He added that HESLB’s contribution also marks the board’s 20th anniversary and is a gesture to encourage other institutions to follow suit.

“Our dream is for every Tanzanian student to have a conducive learning environment regardless of their background,” he said.

Ms Mtenga described the intervention as a “timely lifeline”.

“This support will directly improve teaching and learning in our laboratories,” she said.

While commending the HESLB, experts said more effort is still required.

Education analyst Joyce Mhede said that the gap was the “elephant in the room” when it comes to improving science performance.

“We cannot expect students to excel in physics, chemistry or biology if they are learning science only theoretically. A student cannot truly understand titration without holding a burette, or genetics without conducting an experiment under a microscope,” she said.

The scale of the challenge

Tanzania’s current push for STEM is anchored in its aspiration to industrialise and build a knowledge-based economy in the next few decades.

However, national exam results continue to highlight challenges in science subjects.

In the 2023 Form Four national examinations, failure rates in physics and chemistry remained above 40 percent, reflecting not only teaching quality gaps but also the lack of resources for practical learning.

Teachers in struggling schools say laboratories are often “science rooms” rather than functioning labs.

“The curriculum is competence-based and heavily depends on practical sessions, but many schools cannot deliver this component,” noted a senior teacher from Coast Region, who asked not to be named.

Compounding the problem is the shortage of qualified laboratory technicians.

The BEST report shows that only 28 percent of schools with laboratories have trained technicians, forcing science teachers to double up as lab attendants.

To change the tide, the government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, is investing heavily in classroom construction, digital education and teacher recruitment.

Under the current development plan, building and equipping science laboratories remains a core priority.

In the 2025/26 financial year, the government allocated Sh3.65 trillion to the education sector, part of which will fund science and technology initiatives.

Scholarships have also been introduced to encourage students to pursue STEM subjects at advanced levels, with more than 1,000 students expected to benefit this year.

Education deputy minister Omary Kipanga has previously stressed that partnerships will be key.

“The government cannot do it alone. We need the private sector, development partners and public institutions to complement our investments,” he said in Parliament earlier this year.

Experts argue that while efforts such as those by HESLB are commendable, sustained and broader partnerships are needed.

Additionally, stakeholders recommend training more laboratory technicians, integrating ICT-based virtual labs where possible and ensuring that budgetary allocations for science resources are protected from diversion to other needs.