Tanzania government invests over one trillion shillings in school infrastructure

The Tanzanian government invested over 1.15 trillion shillings into the BOOST Primary Student Learning Programme to upgrade educational infrastructure and integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into primary schools.

Deputy Minister Festo Dugange inspected facilities at Samia Primary School in the Mwanza Region to observe these improvements. The government distributed ICT equipment worth 67.9 billion shillings to 800 primary schools across 26 regions. Of these schools, 600 received smartboards and smart classrooms.

These facilities allow a single teacher to instruct students at multiple schools simultaneously using a smartboard and digital equipment. The funding also supported the construction of more than 16,000 classrooms, exceeding the original target of 12,000. The government used 237.9 billion shillings to rehabilitate 1,059 dilapidated primary schools and another 53.9 billion shillings to renovate 369 schools and rebuild 51 severely damaged buildings.

These investments aim to reduce teacher shortages and provide uniform education quality to both urban and rural students. At Kigongo Primary School in the Misungwi District, the use of smart classrooms contributed to a rise in the student pass rate from 95 percent in 2015 to 100 percent in 2026. Teachers reported that the technology has improved administrative record-keeping and increased student motivation. The program also provides training for both students and teachers to improve digital literacy across the country.