Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian graduates, who have long grappled with the harsh reality of limited job opportunities at home, can now knock on doors in Nairobi or Kampala for employment, thanks to common credit and course systems.
Similarly, a student midway through their university studies in Tanzania can transfer to a university in Rwanda or Burundi and continue in the same year without being downgraded.
This is due to an initiative under the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), which has established common benchmarks and standards to facilitate academic and workforce mobility across the region.
This is part of the strategy to curb a common crisis – unemployment.
Last week, education ministers, policymakers and university leaders gathered in Munyonyo, in Uganda, for the first-ever regional ministerial conference on higher education.
Their mission was clear: align national higher education systems, harmonise qualifications and create a common higher education space for East Africa.
“This is the essence of harmonisation,” Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) executive secretary Charles Kihampa told The Citizen in an interview yesterday.
“It allows the mobility of students and staff and makes sure our qualifications are recognised everywhere in the region,” Prof Kihampa said.
What does it mean for Tanzanians?
In simple terms, a graduate who earns a degree in Dar es Salaam can now apply for a job in Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, or Bujumbura without worrying that their qualifications will be downgraded or rejected.
For graduates battling unemployment at home, this presents a fresh frontier. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported in 2023 that over 72 million young Africans were not in employment, education, or training.
In East Africa, graduate unemployment remains stubbornly high, partly due to mismatches between education systems and the labour market. A harmonised qualifications framework could begin to break down these barriers.
A higher education researcher based in Arusha, Dr Joseph Mbawala, described the development as “a historic opportunity”.
“For years, the lack of recognition of degrees across the region forced young people to look outside Africa for validation. Now, with this step, the region itself becomes the marketplace,” he said.
Unemployment among Tanzanian graduates has been a persistent challenge. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) estimates that nearly 800,000 young people enter the labour market each year, but only a fraction find formal employment.
Harmonisation could provide an outlet. Experts say; Kenya’s tech sector, Uganda’s growing oil and gas industry and Rwanda’s digital transformation strategy are creating jobs that demand regional talent.
For Tanzanians, the ability to compete in these markets with fully recognised qualifications may be a turning point.
Yet, experts caution that mobility alone will not be enough. “Our graduates must be prepared to meet the standards of the regional market,” said an education consultant, Dr Asha Nduguru.
“This means better training in soft skills, digital literacy and languages like French, which are useful in neighbouring countries such as Burundi and Rwanda,” she noted.
Beyond helping individuals, harmonisation could benefit Tanzania as a country. Tanzanian universities could attract more students from the region, boosting revenue and fostering academic exchange.
Already, Tanzanian professors and lecturers are eligible to teach in other EAC states without being downgraded.
“The sharing of staff and expertise is crucial,” Prof Kihampa explained. “A professor from Tanzania is recognised as a professor everywhere in the region. This not only empowers our academics but also raises the overall quality of higher education.”
The EAC Vision 2050 identifies education integration as central to regional prosperity. By harmonising curricula, qualifications and credit systems, the bloc aims to prepare a skilled, mobile workforce capable of meeting 21st-century demands.
Overcoming challenges
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Countries differ in the strength of their higher education systems. Kenya, for example, experts noted, has a relatively larger private university sector.
Thus, Tanzania must ensure its universities remain competitive within this open regional market.
There is also the cultural question. Historically, Tanzanians have been conservative when it comes to mobility. Few graduates consider moving abroad unless it is beyond Africa. This mindset may limit opportunities.
“If we continue to hold back, other countries will take the lion’s share of the benefits,” warned Dr Mbawala. “We need to encourage our graduates to embrace regional mobility as part of their career path.”
Furthermore, governments must address the risks of brain drain. If large numbers of Tanzanian professionals leave for better-paying jobs elsewhere, the local economy could suffer.
The solution lies in balance: encouraging outward mobility while creating incentives for professionals to return with new skills and experiences.
“Education is no longer confined within national walls,” said Dr Nduguru. “It is regional, it is global. For Tanzanians, the question is whether we are ready to seize the opportunities or let them pass us by.”
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